And She Waits
by Samandriel
Summary: Destiel High School Au; Everyday Castiel Novak ran off the school bus like he was running for his life. And maybe he was. Well, running for /A/ life, that is. But Dean Winchester didnt know that. No one did when they laughed at him. ; Yeah it sounds depressing but only a little, just read it ;v;
1. Chapter 1

**prequel / chapter 1 to my new fic :D kinda sad, mentions of suicide, self harm, and underage drinking and drugs, but hey, thats a high school AU for ya.**

* * *

Dean Winchester sat on the school bus, swearing back and forth it was the last time he and his father would ever get into a fight. Of course he was eighteen and he could drive, but he refused to drive anything but the Impala - the car his dad had _promised_ to give him when he turned eighteen. But he was an asshole, Dean thought to himself, crossing his arms, and only gave it to his oldest son when he _felt_ like it. Which was when he actually noticed him, he was sober, or him and his wife (Dean's loving mother) were getting along. And they seemed to be fighting more than usual. Which was really taking a toll on Dean and his little brother, Sam.

The oldest Winchester didnt even notice when the bus stopped. There was a dark haired boy standing at the door, fidgeting impatiently for the door to open. The second it did, he jumped down the stairs, running across the street, pulling his messenger bag over his shoulder as he did. He had a slightly panicked expression on his face, but everyone else was just laughing, saying _how fucking weird that Novak kid is, right?!_ After a minute, Dean laughed too. He didnt know why he laughed, maybe because he just needed to, or because the faces the boy beside him made as he immitated the 'Novak kid', as someone had called him.

Dean had seen him around before - at school or at a party, he didnt know. He didnt look the party type, and by the way the kids were teasing him, he doubted hed ever even been invited to one before. They probably had a class together; he looked about Dean's age.

When the bus finally stopped at Deans' house, he huffed a sigh of relief, waving to the driver and a few friends as he hopped off and crossed the street to his house. Sam was already there when he arrived, having gotten a ride from his friend Jessica. Dean smirked to himself, mentally adding sarcastic quotations around the word friend. He knew his brother had a thing for Jessica, he had ever since they first met in middle school.

"Hey, Sammy," Dean said, sliding onto the stool beside Sam and knocking his shoulder with his brothers', leaning forward and grabbing an apple off the counter. He didnt particularly _like_ apples, but his mother insisted he stay healthy and made him eat the recommended one day.

"Hey, Dean," his brother responded, nodding in his direction as he turned back to his homework. Dean rolled his eyes and hopped off the stool, going upstairs to his room and flopping down on his bed. He flipped onto his back, pulling his bunched up duvet out from under him, and stared at his ceiling. There was nothing interesting about it, besides the glow-in-the-dark stars that didnt quite glow-in-the-dark anymore - not since he was little. They were still there, though, and Dean doubted he would ever take them down. They were attached to too many good childhood memories.

* * *

When he woke up, it was already time for school and Sam was banging on his door. He groaned and quickly changed his clothes, throwing his bag over his shoulder and grabbing an apple on the way down the stairs. "Dad took the car," Sam said as they stepped outside. Dean stopped in his tracks, mouth falling open.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he asked, rolling his eyes and trailing after Sam to catch the bus. His brother winced at his harsh tone, shrugging a shoulder and hopping on the bus. Dean slid onto the seat beside him, pulling his bag into his lap and shoving his headphones into his ears, truth be told, a little painfully. He put it on shuffle and turned it up as loud as it could go without further hurting his ears. The song was, thankfully, one he loved, and he nodded his head along to the beat.

He looked around the bus and noticed the kid from before, the Novak kid, sitting on the seat across the aisle. He had his bag on the other side of the seat, effectively preventing anyone else from sitting there, and one earbud in his ear. His forehead was pressed against the winter chilled glass and his eyes were closed. Dean shook his head and looked away - whatever his problem was, it wasnt Dean's to deal with. He had his own problems.

x

The day passed in a blur, Dean sitting through all his classes, not paying attention and thinking about when he would finally be able to move out. He was going to do it when he had his own money and a job so he could buy a place and support Sam. He didnt want him to have to be alone when he left and god forbid he have to stay home alone while their parents fought. He had promised when he was younger than Sam was that he would always protect him, and Dean never broke a promise to someone he loved, not when it mattered.

"Winchester! You comin' to Lisa Braden's party tomorrow night?" Dean looked up.

Tomorrow night. Saturday. His father would no doubt be drunkenly stumbling through the front door at god knows what time to fight with Mary. He needed to be there for Sam. "Nahh, Adam. Cant tonight. Family stuff," he rolled his eyes as if to say, _Its not important. _"Next time, though. For sure." Fake a smile, nod.

"Great! I know Meg wanted to meet you," Adam smirked. Meg was sort of.. dare he say, the school slut. She had long dark hair and dark eyes. A lot of people called her a demon, but they still slept with her.

Dean rolled his eyes and laughed, hopping off the art stool and heading out to find Sam. It was three-ten on the dot, they usually met at Sam's locker at three-fifteen, but Dean really didnt feel like waiting, so he pulled Sam after him as he stepped out of his class. He pulled him to the parking lot before he let him go, walking in the way of their bus.

"Dean, what the heck? Im going home with Jess," he said, a light blush covering his cheeks. Dean rolled his eyes in a whatever motion and climbed on the bus.

Not five minutes later, the Novak kid climbed on, sitting in the same seat he had that morning and putting his headphones in delicately. He was tapping his foot impatiently, looking at his watch every few minutes. Dean shook his head and turned to look out the window, shoving his headphones in and closing his eyes.

It happened the way it had the day before, the bus stopping at Novak's - Dean finally learned his name to be Castiel- stopped, he would wait impatiently, then dart across the street as if his life depended on it. People would laugh at him, and Dean would occasionally join in with them.

It went like that for the next few weeks, and Dean would watch the curious behavior of the other boy. Then one day, he was gone, and he didnt come back for a week.

But that was later.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lab partners!"

A collective groan rippled through the classroom as Ms. Masters walked up to the white board, drawing out a new seating arrangement. Everyone started getting up and moving to their new seats, including Dean, who literally dragged his bag behind him as he walked to the back of the class. A few moments later, there was a ruffle as someone plopped down on the seat beside him. He looked up into the puffy-eyed face of a recently crying Castiel Novak, who didnt say anything, just put his books own and looked ahead.

They didnt talk all period, or on the bus the day after school. Or the two weeks that followed.

xx

"Winchester."

Dean looked up, turning to face Castiel.

It had been nearly a month since theyd been paired as lab partners. They hadnt talked in class or on the bus yet, though he still wondered why the boy ran off it as though the devil himself were chasing him off. They had sort of a silent agreement - they split the work 50/50 and didnt speak. Which was why it surprised him when Castiel actually spoke to him.

"Novak," Dean responded for lack of anything better to say.

"Mr. Masters says we have to take this one home. Do you want the art or the research?" he asked, his voice low and as close to a monotone as Dean had ever heard.

"Um, whatever is fine," he answered, shrugging and looking down at the directions. It didnt seem too hard of a project, and he could draw a little, so he didnt care which part he did, either way.

"Great. I will do the art. You research," he said, and slid off the stool a moment before the bell even rang. Dean nodded to himself as he went to find Sam to get on the bus. But, as he had been doing the last month, he was riding home with Jessica. He just rolled his eyes and sighed, turning to put his bag on the seat beside him.

That was the last day he saw Castiel on the bus, for a week.

When he got back, of course Dean was a little worried. The boy looked like absolute shit. His eyes were red and puffy and his clothes looked recently slept in. It looked like he hdown adnt even eaten in a month.

So Dean did what any nice guy would do and-

"Cas!" Dean shouted, catching up to the other man as he ran the hall. Castiel stopped at the sudden nickname, pulling his sweater tighter around himself and rubbing at his eyes.

"Hello, Dean," he responded quietly, his voice deeper than usual.

"Um, are you... busy? After school?" he asked nervously. Then mentally slapped himself, because Dean Winchester did not get nervous.

Castiel tilted his head to the side. "I am no," he answered. Dean smiled slightly.

"Wanna go... eat?" he suggested, shifting feet and pulling his bag up higher on his shoulder. Castiel looked at him skeptically for a moment before shrugging and hesitantly nodding. "Great! Come on. I know a great diner, down the street. Harvelle's. Ever heard of it?"

Castiel sniffled and shook his head, moving around Dean's car to open the door. Dean was just thankful he had chosen to ask Castiel to do something on a day his dad was being a decent human and not a complete asshole. He still didnt know why he asked him to do anything, at all, but he felt he should.

They rode to the diner in silence, Castiel looking skeptically at Dean out of the corner of his eye every few minutes like he was gonna drive down a dark alley and beat him senseless. Dean guessed that was sort of expected, though. Castiel after all was a "nerd" and Dean was a "jock" and the two usually didnt get along. But he didnt call the shorter man out on in. Instead, he turned up the radio, nodding along, and continued on.

"Dean?" Castiel asked, tilting his head to the side slightly as they were ushered into a booth. Dean looked up, raising his eyesbrows and nodding for him to continue. Castiel looked own and cleared his throat before he continued. "Why did you ask me to eat with you?" He looked up and met Dean's eyes.

Dean looked at Castiel, studying him for a moment, before shrugging. "I dont really know," he said honestly. "You just... kinda looked like you needed someone right now. And everyone can enjoy a good pie every now and then." He cleared his throat then laughed kind of awkwardly. "You ready to order? Im paying."

Castiel nodded hesitantly, as if he didnt quite believe him and the rest of the lacrosse team would pop out of nowhere and beat his ass. It had happened before. Of course Dean wasnt involved; he wouldnt get into fights when he had to look out for Sammy, _especially_ because he had to look out for Sammy. "I will just have whatever you are having," he said quietly, sliding his menu to the end of the table. Dean looked at him for a moment before laughing.

"You sure, Novak? I eat a lot" he said, smirking at him across the table.

To his surprise, Castiel smirked back at him. "Bring it, Winchester."

And just for that, Dean ordered double of what he usually would have, descreetly telling Ellen - the owner and an old family friend - to put half of it on his tab; he didnt carry that much cash with him. Especially not enough for four burgers, four slices of pie, two cokes, two waters, and more pie.

And by the time they were finished, it was getting dark. When Dean pointed it out, Castiel's whole bosy twitched as if he was going to run away, but instead he slumped back down in his seat, scrubbing his hands roughly over his face. He looked like he was about to cry, Dean noted. "Hey, Cas. You need a ride home?" he asked him. Castiel looked up, nodding.

"Thank you, Dean. For today. I really did need this," he smiled a barely-there smile, sliding out of the booth and stretching. Dean smiled, putting a wad of bills on the table, and following Castiel out of the diner. They got in the car and Dean drove toward where the bus dropped him off. Castiel didnt even notice until Dean asked which way to turn, and he just looked around sadly before pointing back the way they came, rubbing his eyes. "Um.. I moved. Sorry for the inconvenience, Dean."

Dean just shrugged it off. "No problem. My fault for assuming," he turned and smiled before turning the car around and following Castiel's directions. When he parked the car, he got out and walked around to the other door as Castiel pushed it open. He walked beside him to his door, more for comfort than the fact that he felt he should. "So, um. Ill see you tomorrow, right? Not gonna disappear for another week?" He meant it as a joke, but Castiel's face fell and he crumpled forward, leaning on the front door of the apartment, his shoulder shaking with sobs.

"Woah, hey," Dean said cautiously, reaching forward and wrapping an awkward arm around the other mans shoulders. Castiel nodded, paused, then shook his head. "Whats wrong, Cas?" Dean asked, pulling him to him and wrapping his arms around Castiels' shoulders. They just stood there for a few minutes before Castiel pulled away, shaking his head and opening the door.

"Thank you, Dean. I will see you tomorrow," he said, his voice raw, as he closed the door softly.

Dean just stood there for a moment, looking at the black door.

"What the hell?"


	3. Chapter 3

**haha, my captcha was just Wett xDDD anywho, onward with the story! :D thanks for the reviews, all two of you xD **

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"Dean. dude. What were you doing with the weird Novak kid yesterday?" Dean looked up as his friend Luc slid into the seat across from him, plopping his lunch tray down on the table and shaking his milk. "I hear hes gay and has all kinds of diseases." Luc made a face as he opened his milk, drinking half of it in one gulp.

Dean rolled his eyes, choosing to not answer the question in favour of picking through his salad; his mom was still trying to make him eat healthy, even when he was at school, he thought with a sigh. All he wanted was a big, unhealthy hamburger and some pie.

"You comin' to lacrosse today, Winchester?" Luc asked after a short silence. The boy couldnt go long without talking or hed start to fidget and get annoyed.

Dean shrugged. "If I can make it. I gotta take Sam home and do some stuff for my dad," he said, finally looking up from his salad with an apologetic smile on his face. "If I cant make it, ill be at the next practice."

Luc sighed and shook his head. "When are you moving out, Dean? We need a party house! And you dont need to take care of your br-"

Dean blocked him out, turning to focus on anything but his voice. It happened at least once every few weeks; Luc would try and convince him to get that house hed been wanting to get - he had enough, for himself, just not for Sammy - and move out so theyd have a party house. He almost always dissed Sam in more than one way as he tried to convince him. Dean didnt tune him out at first, but then he just got pissed off at him for saying rude things about his brother. If there was anything Dean loved more than pie, it was his little brother. He was the reason he was still in school; so he could get an education and a job so he could move Sammy away from his parents.

At first Dean didnt notice when Castel entered the cafeteria. There were a few boys walking around him - boys from the lacrosse team, Dean noted with a a groan - and they were pushing and shoving at him. At one point, two boys had him trapped in a corner and he just stood there. He didnt even try to fight, he just closed his eyes and let it happen. And for some reason, Dean thought, that made it worse to watch. The fact that he was so used to the beatings and tauntings theyd give him that he didnt even try and fight anymore, if he ever even had to begin with.

"Yo, Dean. Why are you staring at the Novak kid? Want to go join in with the others?" Luc smirked across the table at Dean before turning to look at Castiel, crowded in a corner.

Dean shook his head and stood up, walking across the cafeteria until he was standing in front of Castiel. He held his hand out. "Come on, Novak. Principal wants you," he said. Castiel looked confused for a moment, but grabbed his hand nonetheless, letting Dean pull him up off the floor. "You guys go find someone else to torment." Dean laughed and walked off, Castiel in tow behind him.

Once they were out in the hall, Dean stopped, spinning around to face Castiel. His hands flew over his face, looking for damage, and Castiel just stood there, staring in shock. "Cas, you okay? They didnt hurt you too bad, did they?" he asked him, grabbing his shoulders so he would look at him.

Castiel shook his head. "Good. Thank god, right? Okay. Come on. Ill take you home," Dean said, stepping back and walking down the hall. After a few moments, what Dean said registered to him, and he followed behind.

"Dean, I have class," Castiel protested as they stepped into the parking lot. Dean just rolled his eyes and led him to the Impala.

They were nearly halfway to where Dean dropped Cas off when he finally spoke, slowing down a bit so he'd have more time to talk. "Why dont you fight back?" he asked quietly.

Castiel just sighed, as if he knew that had been coming, and shook his head. "I do," Castiel said simply. "Just not in school and not when there are so many. I do not wish to get kicked out over something that could be avoided."

Dean just looked at him for a moment before turning back to the road. "Self defense," Dean said with a shrug. Castiel just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why are you being so nice to me, Dean? Youre one of them," Castiel said, turning to look out the window.

Dean sighed. "I dont know. You dont deserve to be treated the way they treat you, Cas."

They didnt say anything else after that, quietly driving the rest of the short distance to Castiel's apartment. Castiel quietly thanked Dean for the ride home before sliding out of the car, walking slowly to the front door while he fumbled to find his keys. Dean stayed in the parking lot until he saw Castiel go inside and close the door before driving off.

* * *

Dean didnt see Castiel for another four days. After the slight breakdown after they went to Harvelle's the week before, he was slightly worried, but he let it pass as pity. And even as he casually drove by his apartment that day after school, he pushed away the thought that he could actually be _worried_ about the kid. He didnt know him all that well and he shouldnt care as much as he did, but he _did_ care and he didnt like the uneasy feeling it left in his stomach after he had drove by his apartment.

But Castiel came to school the next day, and, much to Dean's dismay, he looked terrible. It looked as if he hadnt slept in a week and, if possible, the trenchcoat that sat on his shoulders seemed a little bit bigger than usual. He looked like he had died and come back, what with the dark circles under his blue eyes and the disheveled array his hair was in.

Dean approached him after their fourth hour class let out, lightly tugging on his elbow as he walked passed him, effectively stopping him in his tracks. "Hey, Cas, are you okay?" he asked, his brow furrowing as he looked over Castiel's face. He looked even worse up close, and Dean could see his eyes were rimmed in red, as if he had been crying quite recently.

Castiel just nodded and pulled away from Dean, continuing in the direction he had been going in.

Dean rolled his eyes and followed.

* * *

**sorry for the wait and sorry its so short! D: next chapter should be up sooner, though, i promise! :D **

**REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

When Castiel finally stopped and sat down, it was on the roof of the art building. He turned his back to Dean and sat on the edge of the building, his feet dangling over the side as he held on to the ledge. Dean hesitantly stepped closer, careful not to make any sudden movements. Castiel's odd behaviour was kind of worrying him.

"Cas," Dean said quietly, moving to sit beside him. Castiel looked up at him.

"Hello, Dean," he replied, looking back down over the edge. There was an art class going outside to paint and Castiel seemed to be counting them all, as if the number of students exiting was somehow significant. After they all exited the building, Castiel looked down at his feet and sighed. "My sister is an art student," he said with a smile.

Dean nodded slowly. He didnt know how to respond to that, so he just sat there in a comfortable silence with Castiel. After a few silent minutes, Dean stood up, holding his hand out to the dark haired boy. "Come on, Cas," he said, wiggling his fingers. "Lemme drive you home."

Castiel looked up at Dean for a moment, blue meeting green, before nodding once and grabbing his hand, using it for leverage to pull himself up. Once he was standing, he dusted his pants off and grabbed his bag, throwing it over his shoulder. "What about Sam?" Castiel asked as Dean opened the door to the fire escape. He held it open for Castiel, who quietly thanked him.

"Sammy's goin' home with his girlfriend again," Dean said, rolling his eyes. Castiel nodded, hiking his bag up on his shoulder.

"Jessica is a very nice girl," Castiel said.

Dean nodded. "You know her?"

Castiel tilted his head to the side, looking over at Dean. "Yes," he replied simply.

* * *

"Mom, im home!" Dean shouted as he closed the front door, hanging the keys to the Impala on the peg by the door. His mother rushed out of the kitchen, her hands covered in flour and her hair tied in a bun. She smiled wide and hugged him, just like she did every day after school, kissing his cheek.

"How was your day, sweetie?" she asked, walking back toward the kitchen, Dean in tow behind her. Once in the kitchen, he flopped down on a stool, watching his mother as she slid a pie into the oven.

"Is that cherry?" he asked, a smile spreading across his face.

"Yes, now answer my question! How was school?" She smiled and sat beside him, twisting around on the stool.

Dean smiled. "It was alright, I guess. Boring," he shrugged. "Something is wrong with my friend, Cas, but I dont know what." He looked down at the apple his mother placed in his hands, rolling it back and forth between his hands.

"Cas?" she asked. Dean nodded. "Cas Novak?" Dean looked up at her, nodding once again.

"You know Cas?" he asked.

She frowned. "I know his father," she told him. "Hes a very religious man. Hes the preacher of that little white church down by the park."

Dean nodded. "Kinda makes sense, I guess. He's named after an angel," he said. Mary smiled and nodded, lovingly ruffling his light hair.

"Sammy with Jess?" she asked. "They been spendin' a lot of time together lately."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Im pretty sure theyre together, he just wont admit it," he said, rolling the apple across the counter and standing up. "I got homework to do. Ill see you at dinner." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Okay, hun. Dinner's at six."

Dean grabbed his school bag and bound up the stairs, pushing his bedroom door open and closed before moving forward to flop down on his bed. He groaned and kicked his shoes off before sitting up.

After driving Castiel halfway home - and witnessing another break-down - he had taken him back to the diner to try and calm him down. He had ordered them milkshakes, which Castiel only sipped at, and sat in silence with him, waiting until he was ready to talk about it. He didnt talk about it, though. After a while, he had just smiled and thanked him, asking if he could drive him home. There wasnt another break-down, just silent thanks as he slid out of the car and jogged up to the front door. Dean had watched until he was safely inside before driving away.

Castiel Novak intrigued Dean. He couldnt exactly pinpoint the exact reason why, but he found himself wanting to hang out with him more. He knew that his friends though Cas was a freak, and they called him names ("_The Novak kids' a faggot, Dean." "Shut the fuck up, Luc.")_ It bothered him almost as much as when someone picked on Sammy; he felt weirdly protective over Castiel and he didnt even know why.

Without meaning to, Dean slept through dinner, a long, dreamless sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, it was to the sound of Sam banging on his door, shouting loudly. At first Dean couldnt understand him, but as he began to wake up a bit more, he could understand the words more clearly. "Dean!" Sam was shouting. "Dean, get up! Its Castiel! Hes in the hospital!"

Dean jumped at that.

Sam and Castiel werent really close, heck, they werent really even friends, but they got along just fine enough, according to Sam, who had shared a class with the older boy. But hearing his little brother say he was in the hospital startled him. Last time he had seen Castiel, he was fine. Well, as fine as Dean had seen him since he started noticing him, that is.

After throwing on his jacket over his clothes from the night before, he slid out of bed, into his shoes, and to the door. "What happened?" he asked as he threw the door open. Sam just threw him his keys.

"I dont know but we got a call. And before you ask, the only reason we got a call is because moms' his doctor but she wasnt in today. The called to ask if she could come in to see him because he refuses to talk otherwise," Sam rolled his eyes as he opened the front door, pulling his jacket from the coat rack as he did so. Dean followed close behind._  
_

"But why do you and I have to go?" Dean asked, slightly annoyed, and more than slightly curious.

Sam sighed. "Castiel is my friend, Dean, believe it or not," he said. "I want to make sure hes okay."

x

Once they got to the hospital, quickly getting directions to Castiel's room, they hurried to where he slept. The nurse they talked to had told Dean that Castiel had been sedated because he kept having panic attacks and attacking the nurses.

Dean quietly pushed open the door to room 113, looking behind him to make sure Sam was still with him. Much to his surprise, when he turned around, Castiel's large blue eyes were on him and he looked pale and sickly, with a blue and purple bruise forming over his jaw and cheekbone.

"Hello, Dean. Sam," he said, nodding at each of them in turn.

Dean moved to sit beside him. "Hey, Cas. What the hell happened?" he asked, sitting down on the chair beside the bed. Sam shuffled around the room, his hands in his pockets.

"I... I do not wish to talk about it until Mary gets here," he said, looking down at his hands. "Why are you guys here?" He looked up between the two.

Sam moved forward. "Mom wasnt home so I got the call about you being here. I wanted to make sure you were alright," he said with a small shrug. Castiel smiled.

"Im alright," he said, looking around. "I do not like the drugs they give me, though." He frowned down at his hands. "Im okay. You guys dont have to be here."

Sam nodded and showed himself out, but Dean stayed, scrunching up his nose and looking over Castiel's face. "What happened, Cas?" he asked again. He hesitantly reached forward, brushing his fingertips over the bruise on his jaw. Castiel closed his eyes and inhaled a sharp breath through his teeth.

"It is not of import," he said quietly. "I wish to speak to Mary."

Dean sighed and rolled his eyes. "Bullshit, Cas. Just tell me." Dean leaned forward, his elbows braced on the uncomfortable cot Castiel lay on.

For a moment, there was silence, and Dean thought Castiel wasnt going to tell him. Right as he went to get up, the boy spoke. "Remember... the first few days you rode the bus, and I would run off the bus?" he asked, picking at a stray string on his blanket. Dean nodded. "I was running to my sister. She was... Anna. I told you about her, the art student.. She was going through some hard times. She had been... suicidal, for a long time." Castiel paused. "She killed herself..." Dean held in a gasp, reaching forward to grab and squeeze Castiel's hand. He let in a shaky breath before continuing. "I wasnt at school for a few days, funeral arrangements and such. My dad, hes a priest, you know, real religious man. He told me she deserved it. If she committed suicide, she was going to hell anyway, so it didnt matter."

"Cas..."

"Let me finish, Dean," Castiel said quietly. "Please." Dean squeezed his hand. "I had to do it all by myself. Well, me and my brother, Gabriel. And my dad... well, you could say he didnt approve. He..." Castiel reached up and subconsciously rubbed at his bruised jaw.

Dean leaned forward, wrapping both hands around Castiel's and lightly squeezing, rubbing the back of his hand with his thumb. "Cas, did your dad do this to you?"

Castiel looked down at their joined hands on his thigh for a moment before looking up and meeting Dean's concerned eyes. He didnt know why Dean was concerned when, just a few days ago, Dean didnt even talk to him. Hell, Castiel would bet that Dean hadnt even known he existed before he was forced to ride the bus. "Yes," he finally said after a short silence. He couldnt think of any excuses or anything to cover his slip-up.

Dean's eyes raked over Castiel's face before he stood up, squeezing the other boys' hand lightly before letting go. Cas still hadnt told him why he was in the hospital, maybe his dad had hurt him worse than a punch or two to the face, but he had told him enough for the night. Dean didnt want ot make Castiel uncomfortable or anything.

"Thats it. Youre stayin' at my place for a while," Dean said with a small nod.

Castiel just looked up at him with wide eyes; Dean was serious.

Holy crap, _Dean was serious._

* * *

**SO SO SO SORRY for the long wait! school started back and i had some EOCT's to take and ughhhh Dx**


	5. Chapter 5

**i am SO SO SO SO Sorry this took forever to update D: i had majour writers block for this story Dx nyehhhhh.**

* * *

"Dean, please," Castiel looked down, his cheeks tinted with a light blush, as Dean grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the Impala. Castiel covered his eyes with his hand and groaned. "Dean."

Dean finally looked up, sighing and letting go of Castiel's wrist. "Sorry," he said quietly. Castiel just shook his head and moved around him to get into the car.

It had been nearly a month since Castiel had been released from the hospital and moved in with the Winchesters. Mary had been more than happy to let him stay with them, putting a blow-up mattress in Dean's room for him. John didnt really care, as long as Castiel didnt get into trouble, and Sam was more than ecstatic to have him there. Castiel's bruises had healed for the most part, just a faint yellowing on his skin. As it turned out, he was more injured than just a few blows to his face, having had two ribs broken and his wrist; he still hadnt told anyone except Mary what had happened, and no matter how much he asked, Mary refused to tell Dean.

Every morning since Cas had moved in, Dean had been giving him a ride to school. Nothing was different that morning, besides the fact that Dean was picking up his buddy Zack, too, so Castiel would have to be in the car with both of them. And as everyone knew, none of the jocks, besides Dean of course, liked the "quiet, artsy nerd, Castiel." Especially not Zack, who had been running around calling Castiel a faggot since middle school and beating on him every chance he got. Even thought the teasing had slightly lessened with Dean being around him all the time, it didnt stop the other jocks from picking on him every second Dean _wasnt _there.

"Dean, I can just ride with Sam and Jessica. She said it was okay," Castiel sad as he crawled into the backseat and pulled his seatbelt on. Dean just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Dont be silly, Cas. We go in together every morning," Dean pointed out as they drove out of the driveway and started in the direction of Zack's house.

"Yes," Castiel agreed. "But unlike today, we usually arent picking up one of your friends. One of your friends who just happens to hate me."

Dean snorted at that. "My friends dont hate you, Cas."

Castiel shot him a look. "Yes, they do, Dean, and you know it. Especially Zack."

After that, they just drove in near silence, Led Zeppelin seeming especially loud in the quietness. Castiel tried to think about anything besides the fact that he was about to be stuck in a car for half an hour with someone who hated him. He thought about his chores back at the Winchester house; vacuuming his and Dean's room, cleaning the downstairs study, putting the clean dishes that were in the dishwasher, in the cabinets. He had to put a bag over his cast when he did the dishes, but he didnt let it bother him.

Before he could even prepare himself, they were at Zack's and Zack was sliding in the car throwing his bag on the floor and shouting, "Dean! My man!" and clapping him on the shoulder. Dean just smiled and nodded once; Castiel knew he hadnt gotten much sleep the night before.

"Hey, Zack. Whats up, man?" Dean said politely, pulling out of his driveway an down the street.

"Same as always, man," he responded, leaning back in the seat. "You better be comin' to the game today, Winchester. You dont always need to watch your little brother. And- Okay. Im sorry. I cant do this anymore. Why the hell is freakazoid in your car?"

Castiel blushed and looked down at his hands folded in his lap. "Dude," he heard Dean say from the front seat. "I always give Cas a ride. And hes not a freak." He could almost hear Dean roll his eyes after that and he was more surprised by him actually standing up for him than he was about the fact that Dean had used his nickname in front of one of his friends. He was almost positive that Dean wouldnt want people knowing they were acquaintances; Castiel wouldnt exactly call them _friends_.

"Dude," was all Zack said in response. "Since when are you friends with the school fa-"

"I swear to god, Zachariah, if you finish that sentence," Dean said in a low voice.

Castiel looked up in surprise.

Zack was silent the rest of the way to school.

* * *

Castiel didnt see Dean until after school, which wasnt all that weird, aside from the fact that they had math together, but it was sports season so Dean was aloud to skip to practice every once in a while. Dean was waiting by the Impala, waiting for Castiel, just like he had been doing for the past month. Zack wasnt with him, much to Castiel's surprise, but he bit back a smile and waved to Dean over the hood of his car.

"You ready to go?" Dean asked, opening his door and sliding in. Castiel nodded and hummed his affirmative, sliding in the passenger seat and closing the door behind him. Dean turned on the car and Led Zeppelin blasted out of the speakers. Castiel smiled and looked out the window, nodding along to the music. It was Ramble On, one of Dean's personal favourites that he'd made Castiel listen to at least a million times in the past month or so. He had grown to like it, like most of Dean's music.

"So how was your day?" Dean asked, looking in his rear view mirror as he switched lanes. Castiel shrugged. It was alright. Nothing to talk about, really. Dean nodded in response.

"How was yours?" Castiel finally responded.

Dean just shrugged. "Boring. Like school always is," he said with a roll of his eyes. Castiel nodded. Dean said that almost every day, right before he told Castiel some long story about his day that took the entire ride from the school to the Winchester's house. "Okay. So, like, you know Lisa Braeden, right?" Castiel smiled. Here we go...

Half an hour later, they were rolling into the garage, Dean turning off the car and sliding out of the car, Castiel following his lead and making his way up the stairs behind the oldest Winchester son. He was tired and all he wanted to do was curl up on Dean's bed and go to sleep. But, he thought to himself, that was only one time, when Dean wasnt there and Castiel still had to sleep on the blow-up mattress, not that he was complaining, it was plenty comfortable, he just missed his bed at home. Not that he would ever call that place his home again, but still.

"Mom and dad are out," Dean said as he went to dump his books in his room after a quick check throughout the house. That meant Dean and Castiel were alone. Not that Castiel minded, he just didnt feel like talking, and thats all Dean ever wanted to do, it seemed.

So Castiel just nodded and layed down on his mattress, pulling his blanket over his head and sighing. It was warm under the covers. Castiel didnt like to be cold.

"Are you tired?" Dean asked, and Castiel heard him sit down. He nodded. "Oh. I guess i'll... be downstairs, then," he said. And Castiel rolled his eyes. Dean sounded so dejected. He hated when he sounded like that. It was almost as if he _wanted_to talk to Castiel and he wasnt just doing it because he was bored.

But Castiel groaned softly and slid the covers off from over himself, sitting up and turning to Dean. "Im not going to sleep, though," he said. And Dean smiled, standing up and bouncing slightly on his heels.

"Come on. Im gonna make some food and try to convince you to watch Star Trek again." And by again, Dean meant try to convince him again, not watch it again. Because after every attempt at getting Castiel to watch the show, Dean had been shot down. Castiel just didnt see the appeal in it. He had already sat through Star Wars, how many star movies did Dean even _like_?

Cas rolled his eyes and followed Dean down the stairs, kicking of his shoes by their bedroom door. It was weird to think of it as _their_ bedroom. They _had_ gotten to know eachother a bit over the past month. Castiel knew about Dean's childhood and his first kiss. And Dean knew about Castiel's obsession with human behavior (_Dean, you blink a lot when you're nervous_) and about how he thinks he might be asexual because he's never really been attracted to anyone. That surprised Dean; Castiel was a fairly attractive guy, it was weird to think he had never had a girlfriend.

"I have a hypothetical question," Dean began conversationally as he grabbed random things from the fridge and cabinets, putting them on the counter as he went along. Castiel sat on one of the bar stools, putting his elbowup on the counter and resting his chin on his palm, watching Dean. He made a slight noise so the other boy knew he was listening. "Would you date a girl with a kid? I mean, say you like this girl a lot, but she has a two-year-old son. Would you go out with her still?" He paused a moment before spinning around and grabbing a pot from one of the cabinets.

Castiel thought on it for a moment. "I wouldnt let something like a child get in the way of someone I truly liked. Unless I didnt like kids, or couldnt deal with them." Man, he sucked with advise. Especially relationship advice.

But Dean nodded anyway, moving around the island in the middle of the room to get to the spice rack. "Lisa Braeden has a kid and I wanted to ask her out," he confessed. "But... I dont know. Kids arent really my thing. I grew up raisin' Sammy when our parents couldnt. Im done with kids unless theyre my own."

Castiel's stomach twisted uncomfortably at that. "I give terrible advice and you know that, Dean," he said, leaning forward to rest his forehead on the counter top.

He heard Dean laugh somewhere off to his right. "Its only relationship advice you suck at. I mean, you got me through my math _and_ history finals last week. Give yourself some credit." There was a certain fondness in his voice that made Castiel smile. "And I guess I should also thank you for being so cool about Zack this morning and _I_ should apologize about what he said..."

Castiel groaned and lightly banged his head on the counter. "I dont even care, Dean, just drop it." If there was one thing he hated more than Dean going out of his way to defend him, it was the talks he gave him when they got home.

"I mean it, Cas. I really am sorry. I wont give him a ride anymore, as long as im giving you a ride. He's an asshole anyway." Dean leaned across the counter and ruffled Cas' hair. "Your'e my favourite anyway." When Castiel looked up, Dean was smiling down at him.

Castiel ended up standing and helping Dean cook whatever weird concoction he had come up with this time.


	6. Chapter 6

**filler chapter, there may actually be a few. enjoy and sorry for the wait! D:**

* * *

"Sam. Sam. Sammy. Samantha. Sam. Sam. _Sam._ Saaammmm-"

"Oh, my god, Dean, _what_?" Sam spun his chair around to face Dean, sighing and slamming his pen down on the table. Dean just frowned and crossed his arms.

"Nevermind."

"Oh, my god, Dean, what do you want?" Sam asked again.

Dean sighed and uncrossed his arms, leaning his elbow on Sam's computer table and spinning his chair in little half circles. "Im bored. Cas isnt here." He frowned down at the table.

Sam just laughed. "He has friends, you know. He cant spend all of his time with you." He turned back around, picking his pen up and biting the end of it as he looked down at his equations.

See, Castiel had gone to hang out with a friend earlier that Saturday morning and Dean had been sitting in Sam's room, bothering him, for hours. Since he first moved in, Castiel had stuck to staying inside and studying and reading and talking with Dean. It was the first time he had gone out to do something with his friends, Charlie and Garth, and Dean was bored. He had gotten used to Castiel's presence constantly by his side, helping him cook and trying to teach him how to draw, orjust sitting on Dean's bed while one of them read to the other.

"I know," Dean said quietly.

He could almost _hear_ Sam roll his eyes. "Then stop pouting and leave my room. Im trying to do my homework. Why didnt you just go out with him and his friends? He said you could."

Dean scrunched up his nose. "I dont know them. It'd be all weird and awkward." He had thought about going but he didnt know Castiel's friends and as far as he knew, they hated him just as much as Dean's friends didnt like Castiel, much to Dean's disappointment.

"Go read or something," was all Sam said in response to that, grabbing a cap eraser and throwing it at Dean's head. Dean just scowled and ducked before it hit him, sticking his tongue out at Sam as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Yes, Dean was sulking. He would never admit it out loud, but he was. He was bored and he was mad at most of his friends for the way they had been treating Castiel the past few weeks, and before that, even. He wanted Cas to be home so he could finish reading the last chapter o Cat's Cradle to him. They had been passing the book back and forth the past few days and it was Castiel's turn to read.

Eventually, Dean just sighed and walked into his own bedroom, flopping down on his bed with a soft _thump_ and pulling out his cell phone, opening a blank message to Castiel.

**when r u coming home?**

Dean read over it and sighed. Too clingy.

**Sam is driving me crazy. when r u coming home?**

Too whiny.

**im bored, get ur ass home.**

Dean rolled his eyes and sent it, throwing his phone down only to pick it up moments later and text Lisa.

Dean had asked her out the day after Dean's terrible advice and she had said yes. It had been alright, the few days they'd been dating. Lisa's son, Ben, was surprisingly awesome. He laughed and smiled when Dean played Led Zeppelin and AC/DC and he could say Dean's name already. Lisa was great. She was nice and funny and drop dead gorgeous. But Dean didnt feel, as cheesy as it sounds, connected with her. Heck, he still spent more time with Cas than he did with Lisa.

Dean rolled over on his stomach as his phone buzzed. It wasnt Cas, much to his dismay, but Lisa, asking if he wanted to take Ben to the park or something. He didnt know why, but he lied, telling her he was busy. He didnt even know why he had texted her to begin with. He barely remembered what he said.

After Lisa's next text, **Dean, are you drunk...?** he went back and checked what he had originally sent her.

**hey, lisa. u wanna hang out or something? (:**

He mentally face-palmed, texting her back and telling her he forgot he had to help his brother with a project, which, as everyone knew, if, in any situation, would be the other way around. Sam, even though he was four years younger than Dean, was already smarter than him, and Dean couldnt be more proud of his little brother.

**okay, well if you want to hang out later, call me.**

Dean just sighed and threw his phone back down, grabbing his pillow and holding it over his face, mumbling into it.

At some point, Dean had, apparently, fallen asleep, because before he knew it, he was being lightly shaken awake. He grumbled and slapped the persons (soft) hands away, mumbling _go away_ and rolling over. He heard a familiar, heavy sigh and the bed dent down where someone sat behind him.

"Dean. Get up, come on." It was Cas' voice. Cas was trying to wake him up.

"Up and at 'em, Winchester!" And... Charlie's voice?

Dean jumped up and turned around to face the three people in his room, Castiel sitting on the bed and Charlie and Garth standing behind him. Charlie had her arms crossed and an impatient look on her face and Garth just looked... pleased.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were out," Dean said, pulling his hand up to rub at his eyes.

Castiel nodded, standing up. "Yes. We were. But Sam texted me and told me you were... sulking? He told me to come get you and take you out of the house." He shrugged. "So lets go."

Dean sat back down and frowned, grabbing his phone and playing with it. "I dont wanna," he said sleepily, looking up at Castiel, then back at his friends. He felt self-conscious with them looking around his room the way they were, Garth studying his bookshelf and Charlie looking over his posters and everything on his walls.

"Okay," he said after an uncomfortable silence. "Lets just go. Sammy's gonna bitch if I dont." He rolled his eyes and shoved his phone into his back pocket, standing up and grabbing his jacket off his computer chair. It wasnt really cold outside, in fact it was kind of warm, but Dean always carried his jacket with him. Just in case.

"Woah, the mighty Dean Winchester hanging out with us peasants? The world is ending," Charlie said sarcastically and Dean just rolled his eyes.

"Cas aint a peasant. I dont know about you guys but you cant be that bad," he shrugged, yawning, and followed them out of his room.

Garth just scoffed. "You have some ulterior motive for hanging out with Castiel, right? Like shaming him or I dont know, like reading his diary on the morning announcements or something?"

"Cas doesnt have a diary," Dean said at the same time Castiel said,

"I dont have a diary."

Charlie and Garth just looked between them and Dean just smiled, sticking out his tongue at them. "Cas is my friend," he shrugged. "Hes good company and he helps me with my homework." He bumped his shoulder with Castiel's and smiled at him.

Castiel just nodded and bumped his shoulder back. "Dean is okay, Garth, you do not have to interrogate him because youre worried about me. Youre not my mother," he said, but Dean could tell he was touched by his friends' concern. Dean was kind of touched, too. He was tired of seeing and hearing about people treating Cas like shit.

"So, Dean, what's Cas' middle name, if you guys are so close?" Charlie asked jokingly.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Edward."

Charlie nodded. "Favourite colour?"

"Doesnt have one, but if he had to choose, it'd be green."

"Favourite band?"

"The Receiving End of Sirens."

"Natural eye coulour?"

"Blue. He doesnt wear contacts." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Okay, smart guy," Charlie said as they started walking down the sidewalk, Charlie beside Dean and Garth and Cas in front of them, listening to them. "What's his... hm. Whats his favourite gum?"

"Wintergreen," Dean answered, looking down at the time on his phone. It was shortly after four in the afternoon.

As they turned a corner, Dean could make out the hint of a smile on Castiel's face.

Charlie nodded. "Youre alright, Winchester.''

Dean nodded and nudged her elbow with his. "Damn straight," he said with a wink, and Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Im gay, Dean, dont even try to flirt with me," she said, and Castiel froze, causing both Charlie and Dean to run into him, stumbling into each other in the process. "What the hell?"

"Sorry, I just.. Sorry." He shook his head and kept walking. Charlie just rolled her eyes.

"I wasnt flirting with you," Dean said.

Charlie nodded. "Good. Because we're going to see my girlfriend." She smiled and Dean nodded.

"Does she go to our school?" he asked as they rounded another corned. He looked up to see if he knew where they were going yet; it looked familiar. It was the route their bus used to take.

"Nope. She's homeschooled," she said and Dean nodded again.

xx

Hanging out with Castiel's friends was funner than hanging out with his old friends. Garth turned out to be pretty funny. By the end of the night, Dean didnt want to rip his head off anymore. He liked Charlie more, though. She was funny, and they had the same taste in a lot of things and she understood his pop culture references, unlike Castiel, and she didnt get grossed out by his perverted jokes, unlike Sam. Her girlfriend was nice too and they all ended up exchanging numbers.

Both Dean and Castiel went home smiling that night.


	7. Chapter 7

**OH LOOK ANOTHER CHAPTER, SO SOON AFTER THE LAST?**

**I really should be doing homework right now... hm...**

**enjoy! :3 review? **

* * *

"NO! No, no no! What?! You totally cheated! Roll again!"

"No way, Winchester! That was a fair roll! Unlike _your_ last _two_! You should be the one rolling again! Garth, back me up!"

"Andy, you saw that, right?! Charlie _totally_ cheated! Theres no way she rolled a six!"

"Jennifer, come on, babe. You know I'd never cheat, tell Dean."

"She'd never cheat."

"_See?!_"

Dean rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, huffing quietly and leaning back against the couch. Charlie just laughed and pumped her fists in the air dramatically, moving her boat piece six spaces ahead, passing Go! and collecting 200$ along the way. Dean just rolled his eyes and scoffed, turn to Castiel.

"You saw she cheated, right?" he said, his lower lip pouting out.

Castiel just smiled and rolled his eyes at Dean.

Charlie, her girlfriend Jennifer, Castiel, Garth, Dean, and another one of Cas' friends, Andy, had all been sitting in Dean's living room, playing Monopoly for the past few hours. Charlie was winning, much to Dean's dismay, with Andy coming in close behind her. Dean was in fourth place, right after Castiel and to his surprise, he was having a lot of fun. Charlie had kind of invited herself over, inviting the others, saying that, after such a good time yesterday, they should all hang out again, "with my girlfriend and Andy, of course, you cant say no, Winchester, just open the door because we're actually here right now". Dean didnt mind, though. They were all decent people and they all got along.

"You still mad?" Charlie asked him with a smile, brushing her hair over her shoulder and looking over at Dean. He just stuck his tongue out at her, leaning his head back on the couch with a soft _hm_.

Castiel nudged his elbow and he looked back up at him. "You okay, Dean?"

Dean nodded. "Kinda tired," he said with a shrug. He _was_ tired, having been up since five that morning, but he didnt want his friends to go home yet. And already, after only one day, Dean was already calling them his friends. He trusted them.

"Want me to ask them to leave?" Cas asked him. Dean shook his head.

"I like having them here," he said with a shrug. "Besides, if they were to leave, Dad would make me do the dishes." He rolled his eyes and Dean laughed. He looked up just in time to see Charlie give Jennifer a congratulatory kiss, just a chaste meeting of the lips, and his heart swelled. That was one of the things he loved about Charlie; she was herself, despite the fact that she was a lesbian and their little town wasnt so accepting. They didnt mess with her and she was happy. And she could do that - just lean over and give her girlfriend a kiss whenever she wanted, and that made Dean happy for her.

xx

"Dean.. Dean. Winchester. Dean. Hey, Dean. Wake-y, wake-y!"

Dean jumped and his eyes shot open, frantically looking around himself. Charlie was standing above him, her boot-clad foot gently nudging his thigh. Everyone was standing behind her and he blushed, taking her outstretched hand and pulling himself up. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, stumbling a bit, before sitting on the couch. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and groaning, rubbing his eyes.

"We're leavin'. Just thought we'd say bye," Garth said from Charlie's left. Dean looked up again.

"How long was I asleep?" he asked, standing back up and steadying himself against the arm of the couch.

Andy shrugged. "Little over an hour. Cassie wouldnt let us wake you up. But we really should go. Its getting late," he said, twisting his fingers together in that way that he did.

"Oh. Well it was fun, guys," Dean said, reaching forward to shake Andy's hand. Andy smiled and pulled Dean in for a hug, then Garth smiled and hugged him and then Jennifer, who smiled and told him they had to hang out again soon. Following Jennifer was Charlie, who hugged him tightly and rubbed her knuckles against his hair.

"We gotta do this again soon, all of us," she said with a wide smile.

"Yeah, definitely," Dean said with a smile, hugging her back and knocking her hand away, murmuring, "Hey. Watch the hair, man."

Later that night, after doing the dishes and making sure Sam had his homework done, Dean lay in bed on his stomach, talking with Castiel. Castiel was laying on the small bed that Bobby had brought over for him, his face angled up at Dean so they could hear each others' whispered voices. It was a little after midnight and Dean's parents were getting along that day and he had gotten all of his chores done and his dad promised him that car next week, so he was in a pretty good mood.

"How long have you known Charlie?" Dean asked, shifting so his hands were under his pillow.

He heard Castiel shrug. "Seventh grade. One of the older guys was messing with her about her sexuality so I punched him in the face," he said quietly, smiling at the memory. He didnt mention the fact that it was Zach who had been messing with her, or the fact that the week before, she had done the same for him, for the same reason.

Dean laughed. "Badass," he said quietly, and smiled. He had an all new respect for Castiel right then.

"No, I was just doing what was right," he responded quietly and Dean nodded in the dark.

"Charlie is cool. So is Jennifer. I didnt expect her to be so..."

"Girly?" Castiel supplied.

Dean shook his head against his pillow. "Sassy," he said with a laugh and Castiel laughed quietly with him.

"She is very, as you say, sassy," Castiel said with a smile. "She is very kind, though."

The boys lay in silence for a while, neither saying anything. Dean rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, at the dim glowing of the old Glo-N-The-Dark stars that were still scattered on his ceiling from when he was younger. Him and Sam had spent hours looking at an Astrology book, re-arranging them into constellations.

Castiel lay on the bed, looking over at Dean as he looked up at the ceiling. He smiled, watching as Dean jolted in bed, coming back to consciousness from the brink of sleep. He did that almost every night, tried to stay awake to finish his conversation with Castiel, even when they werent talking about anything in particular. After a while of looking at his roommate, he sighed and turned to face the window. He liked Dean. All of his friends knew he liked Dean, just like they knew Dean was dating Lisa and didnt like boys.

Cas had started liking Dean his freshman year of high school. It had been an on-and-off crush, and when he had moved in with him, it was in its 'off' stage, but lately, as they spent more and more time together, and learned more about one another, Castiel's crush had started coming back, much to his dismay. He didnt _want_ to like Dean. It made him feel awkward around him, especially in the mornings, when Dean would roll out of bed half asleep and get dressed with Castiel laying across the room from him. Castiel would just roll over to face the window and give Dean his privacy.

"Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

Dean was quiet for a while, then, "Tomorrow after school, im making you watch the Lord of the Rings with me."

Castiel smiled and threw a pillow at Dean. It narrowly missed his face, and Dean laughed, tucking the pillow under his head and smiling. "Go to sleep, Dean."

Dean went to sleep with a smile on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Castiel was in pain. Everywhere. From his toes up to his face. Everything hurt. And he knew there was blood dripping from his nose and a small gash on his left cheek. But he just sat there, not moving, in the janitors closet in the freshman hallway. He was trying to be as quiet as he possibly could, muffling his pained whimpers in the sleeve of his sweater, but it was hard. It just hurt _so bad_.

Castiel shifted to his left, trying to get more comfortable, but it just caused something in his side to ache even more, a sharp pain shooting up through his shoulder. He winched and cursed silently to himself in the dark. He really did hate Zachariah and his posse. They had caught up with him after his last class, cornering him under the staircase that led to the gym, because they found out he had spent all weekend with Dean. It wasnt like Castiel had _forced _Dean to hang out with him, it was Dean's choice. _  
_

Castiel didnt even want to go back to the Winchester's after that point. He had been harassed before, but ever since he moved in with them, it had gotten worse. It wasnt worth it. He would almost... _almost_ prefer to be back home.

Eventually Castiel ended up blacking out in the closet, the pain in his ribs from Luc's boot became too much for him. When he came to, he was still in the closet, and the light he could see under the door had gone; it was night. He sighed and sat up, careful for the throbbing throughout his body, and leaned against the wall opposite the door. Leaning to the side, he slid his phone out of his pocket. There were seventeen new texts and five missed calls.

All from Dean and Sam.

**r u staying after? -Dean**

**i gotta go drop Sam off, text me if you need a ride. -Dean**

**where the hell r u, Cas? - Dean**

**Castiel, Dean is worried. Where are you? - Sam**

The texts went on, and he knew the voice mails would be the same. He liked that Dean and Sam were worried about him, but he didnt think he could go back and face them. He would have to tell Dean what his friends did, then Dean would talk to them and theyd beat Castiel up even more.

Eventually, though, Castiel got tired of sitting in the closet and called Dean. He answered on the second ring, asking where the hell Cas had been and why the fuck he hadnt called him until just now. Castiel just took a shuddering breath and calmly asked Dean if he could come get him from the school, as soon as possible. Dean had been quiet for a moment before agreeing, promising Castiel that he'd make him explain when he got here. Castiel didnt have any other choice but to say okay to that.

It didnt take long for Dean to get to the school. Only about ten minutes without the daytime traffic and no stops on the way. Castiel had dragged himself out of the closet and to the front of the school, sitting on the front steps to wait for Dean.

"Oh, my god, Cas!"

Castiel looked up at Dean, sighing and walking toward him. He didnt want to deal with him right then. He wanted to get ice for his face and sleep for about a year. "Hello, Dean."

"Cas, what the hell happened to you?!" Dean said as he jogged forward, placing his hands on either side of Castiel's face and tilting his head to either side, assessing the damage. He ran his thumb under his right eye, then across his cheekbone and across his bottom lip. "You look horrible."

Castiel sighed. "Your _team mates _did this to me, and can we please just leave? I am tired." He refused to say _home_.

Dean frowned and tilted Castiel toward the light once more before pulling his hands back and nodding. "Lets go." He led Castiel toward the car, walking behind him just inn case he fell or something, then opening the door for him when they got there.

Once they were in the car, Dean in the drivers' seat and Castiel leaning as far to his right as he could to avoid the pain in his left ribs, Dean sighed. "Im taking you to the hospital," Dean said quietly, and turned out of the school parking lot, driving in the opposite direction of the Winchester house.

Castiel groaned and tilted his head back. "Dean, seriously? Please just let me sleep."

"You can sleep when im sure you havent broken anything, alright? Youre hurt, Cas, you dont get to decide what happens now." Dean said as he turned a corner. Castiel just pouted and leaned his forehead against the glass of the window, trying not to fall asleep. He _had_ slept almost all day, but he was still tired. His rest in the closet was more forced than warranted, seeing as how he had just passed out.

Before he knew it, he was being lightly shaken by Dean and being gently pulled out of the car. "Come on, Cas," Dean said quietly, wrapping his arm around Castiel's ribcage to help him walk. Castiel just sucked in a sharp breath and slapped Dean's hand away.

"Ow, that fucking _hurt_," he said just quiet enough for Dean to hear, and Dean smiled. He had never heard Cas curse like that before.

"Okay, sorry. Come on. Just... tell me if you need help, okay?" Dean walked closely beside Castiel the entire way into the hospital, his arm inches behind his back just in case he fell or, god forbid, he trip or something.

xxx

"Dean. Dean, come on. We're leaving." Castiel tugged impatiently at Dean's sleeve.

Dean jerked awake in the orange plastic waiting room chair, looking sleepily up at Castiel. When he realized who it was, he jumped up and grabbed his shoulders. "Cas! Are you okay? Is anything broken? What'd they say?!"

Castiel sighed and stepped back from Dean, letting his hands fall to his sides as he did so. He motioned for them to start walking, and they did, Dean slightly behind Castiel, just in case. "Im fine," he started once they got outside. "Broken arm-" he held up his arm in its blue cast "-Nothing too major. Bruising mainly." He shrugged nonchalantly, wincing as sucking in a deep breath as he slid into the car.

"Nothing, huh?" Dean said, reaching over before Castiel could protest and pulling his shirt up. His entire chest and rib cage was wrapped up and blood was seeping through in some places. "You got your ribs broken, you fucking dumbass! That is _not_ nothing! We're telling the police, or.. Someone! Ill tell coach at school tomorrow, I promise. Come on. Lets get you home. I can-"

"Dean! Dont tell anyone, okay? Im _fine_." Castiel yanked his shirt back down and slammed the car door.

Dean went silent.

They didnt talk for the rest of the night.

* * *

**sorry i do this to Cas, you guys :c i dont even know why. i probably have some deep-rooted psychological issues that i need to deal with.**


	9. Chapter 9

When Castiel woke up the next morning, Dean was sitting on the other side of his bed, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. His chin was resting on his knees and every few seconds he would blink sleepily, his eyes trained on Castiel. When he finally noticed the latter awake, he smiled and settled his knees back down, resting his elbows on them as he leaned forward.

"You okay, Cas?" he asked as he reached over Castiel to the bedside table, handing him a blue cup full of coffee and three pills."Two are for pain. Third is some heal-y thing. I dont know, but you gotta take 'em every morning until theyre gone." Dean explained it to him as he took the pills, taking large gulps of coffee along with them. He just nodded, listening to Dean's still half-asleep voice.

"When did you get up?" Castiel finally asked after a short silence.

Dean just shrugged."Half an hour ago? Probably. Couldnt fall back asleep and you were mumbling in your dream. I was trying to figure out what you were saying." He scrunched up his nose and pulled his knees back up. "Sorry."

Castiel slowly sat up, putting the cup back on his bedside table and leaning against the headboard. He shook his head. "Its okay, Dean," he said hoarsely. He cleared his throat and pushed his bangs out of his face, looking over at Dean. "Are you okay?"

Dean just scoffed and unfolded himself, standing up and stretching, popping his back. "Thats a joke right? Im not the one who got the shit beat outta be, a broken arm, and a few broken ribs. Dont even get me started on your face." He paused and frowned sadly, leaning forward to gently tilt Castiel's face to the side. He winced at the bruises, which had gotten darker over the night, and at the gash on his left cheek, which was swollen and red. "God, Cas. If this ever happens again, you tell me, okay? If you waited any longer, you..." He trailed off and ran his hand over his mouth, shaking his head and stepping back. "Youre staying home for the rest of the week."

Castiel rolled his eyes. "Dean, im f-"

"Castiel Edward Novak, dont you _dare_ say the word 'fine' to me right now. Your _ribs_ are _broken_. Your _arm _is _broken_. Your _face_ is... God, Cas, your face looks _terrible._ So just shut up and take your medicine and let mom take care of you while im gone, okay? Please?" He opened the door and turned back to look at Castiel._  
_

When Castiel was seven, he broke his arm and had to stay in bed for two days while his brother Gabriel took care of him. Gabriel was only eleven, but he had done a pretty good job. And when Castiel was fourteen and broke his foot playing soccer, his cousin Anael, whom everyone just called _Anna_ because the guys would call her Anal, had taken care of him. Castiel had never had an actual adult take care of him when he was sick before.

So he just looked up at Dean and nodded, telling him that he would stay in bed all day and let Mary take care of him. Dean smiled and nodded back at him.

"Good. Okay. Text me if you need anything, okay? I gotta go." He closed the door quietly and jogged down the stairs. He paused halfway. His mom didnt know about the state Castiel was in yet. Dean had distracted Mary and Sam while Castiel had run up the stairs to their room.

He sighed and went over the conversation in his head. He would tell his mom Cas got into a fight, she would worry and ask if he was okay and what had happened. Dean would tell her that it was the lacrosse team that had done it, that if he had known they were planning on doing it, he would have stopped them. She would chastise him before running up to hug Castiel and baby him. Dean would tell her to watch out for him, make sure he take his medicine.

"Hey, mom," Dean said once he got to the kitchen. Mary smiled and threw him an apple, ruffling Sam's hair as she walked around the island.

"Hey, hon. Wheres Cas? Is he not feeling well?" she asked as she sat down beside Sam.

Dean sighed and slid onto the stool across from Sam, rolling his apple back and forth on the counter top. "Hes gonna be... staying home for a while..." he started.

Mary froze. "What happened, Dean?"

"It... Okay just for the record, if I knew it was going to happen, I would have stopped it, okay?" He rubbed his hand over his mouth and bit his lip. "He... kinda got the shit beat out of him. But hes _fine._ I took him to the hospital and he got his arm set and got medicine and hes fine." He spoke quickly so he could get it all out before it sunk in and his mom started freaking out.

And sure enough, a few seconds later, her mouth dropped open and she covered it with her palm, gasping quietly. "Oh, my god. Is that why you were late getting home last night?"

Dean nodded.

"Does... Hes okay?" she asked quietly as she stood up. Dean nodded again and she nodded back in response. "Good. Thats good. Im gonna... You guys better get going. Im gonna go check on him. Have a good day." She kissed Sam's forehead then walked around the island to give Dean a kiss.

The only thing Dean heard before closing the door was, _"Oh, my god, Castiel!"_

Dean shook his head with a sigh and led Sam to the Impala; John was on a hunting trip with an old family friend, Bobby, for the week, so Dean got the car. At least if Cas decided to go to school that week, Dean thought as he started the car, he wouldnt have to ride the bus.

"So," Sam started, pulling his book-bag onto his lap and buckling his seat belt. Dean rolled his eyes. "Who beat up Cas?" He looked up at Dean.

"The lacrosse team. You know, Luc and Zach and them," he said, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

"Youre not gonna let them get away with that, are you?" Sam asked, incredulous.

Dean sighed and rubbed at his eyes with one hand. "What am I supposed to do, Sammy? I cant fight them or i'll get suspended. I cant call the police; Cas doesnt want them involved. I dont... I dont know what I can do." He looked over at Sam, a frown upon his face. Sam just shook his head and turned to look out the window.

"I dont know, Dean, but you have to do _something_. I mean, come on. Its _Cas_. You know hes not gonna do it himself," he said pointedly. "And how bad is he, anyway?"_  
_

"Broken arm, few broken ribs, and his face is all bruised up and swollen," Dean said sadly, thinking of how small and sad Castiel had looked lying in bed that morning and the night before, his arm in its blue cast uncomfortably laying motionless beside his torso as he slept. Dean wished he didnt have to go to school so he could watch after him, but he knew he had to do _something_ about his team mates.

"Holy shit. Where was he all day yesterday? I mean, theyre a big group. It didnt take all afternoon to beat him up," Sam pondered as they pulled into the school parking lot. It occurred to Dean then that he hadnt bothered asking Cas where he had been. He had just wanted to get him to the hospital and back home.

"I dont know," Dean said honestly. "I picked him up at the school..."

Sam shook his head as he got out of the Impala, closing the door gently behind him. Dean nodded and followed. They walked into the building in silence. Neither of them spoke until Dean saw Luc and Zach laughing and walking down the hall like they owned the damned place. Dean's hands tightened around his books.

"Dean..." Sam warned quietly. He turned toward his brother as Luc and Zach approached them, glaring at Sam then turning to clap Dean on the back. Sam rolled his eyes and walked down the hall toward his locker.

"Whats up, Dean-o?" Zach started with a smirk. "Looks like we finally got rid of that faggot, Castiel." He laughed and high-fived Luc.

Dean slapped Zach.

Everything was silent.

"Dude," Zach started quietly. "What the _actual_ fuck?"

"You dont fucking _do_ that, Zachariah. And I swear to god, if I _ever_ hear you say or do anything against Castiel again, or if I even hear it from someone else, you _will_ regret it. Thats a promise." Well, Dean thought to himself, thats not what I planned to do...

"Dude, what the fuck. Youre sticking up for that f-"

He slapped Zach again.

And again, there was a long silence. Dean noticed the people around them stopping and staring at them. He didnt even notice when Andy and Charlie walked up beside him, not until Charlie cleared her throat and bumped into him. Dean kept eye-contact with Zach as he said,

"Hey, Charlie. Andy."

He could almost _feel_ Andy jittering nervously beside him.

"Wheres Cas?" Charlie asked, glancing between Dean and Zach.

"He stayed home today. He got a little bruised up yesterday, courtesy of Zachariah and Lucifer," he said, and Zach blinked, turning to glare over at Charlie.

"Youre next, princess," he said, his voice low.

Charlie just snorted and patted his shoulder. "Okay, big boy. And Dean, is he at home? Im gonna go by and see him."

"Yeah," Dean said, finally turning and nodding at Charlie. "Yeah, lets go. Ill drive you. You comin' Andy?"

Andy nodded. As they walked toward the door, dean turned back to Zach and Luc, who hadnt said anything the entire time. He walked back, looking behind him to make sure Charlie and Andy were still walking toward the car. "This isnt over. You _will_ get in trouble for this, Zachariah. Lucifer." He nodded and turned on his heel, walking back toward the car. Of course Mary would get upset that he had skipped, but she would understand.

Once they were all in the car, Dean and Charlie up front and Andy in the back, messing around on his phone, Charlie turned to Dean and said, "So what happened?"

Dean just sighed and started the car, shaking his head. "They beat the shit out of him. Hes okay though. A few broken bones, but other than that, hes okay." He nodded to himself, swearing up and down that that was the last time he would have to tell anyone what happened. He was starting to sound like a broken record.

When they got to Dean's house, he jumped out of the car and ran upstairs, Charlie and Andy following behind him. Dean pushed open the door and walked over to Castiel's bed. Castiel was sitting up against the headboard, food and books surrounding him and Rugrats on the television. Dean smirked and gently sat down beside him, kicking his shoes off and lying down.

"Dean. Why are you home so early?" Castiel asked with a small smile, pulling the blanket back for Dean. He didnt realize until Charlie and Andy came in that that was probably something friends didnt do. But Cas didnt care. Him and Dean layed in bed together all the time to watch movies and read.

"Charlie and Andy wanted to check on you," Dean said, sliding his arm under the pillow and turning on his side to look up at Castiel. "You feelin' any better?'

Castiel shrugged, his eyes following Charlie and Andy as they sat down on the floor by his bed. "A little bit, I guess. Mary has been up here almost all day. She just got called into work. I made her leave."

Dean laughed and Castiel smiled, ignoring the aching in his cheek and eye as he did so. "Have you gotten any sleep?" Dean asked. Castiel shook his head.

"Dean, you left an hour ago. I didnt have time to fall back asleep before you came back," Castiel said, picking up a juice pouch and sipping from it. Dean frowned and snatched it from him, putting the straw between his lips and taking a short drink from it.

"_Fine__. _Ill leave. I just thought you may want someone here, not to mention Charlie and Andy came by," he said as he rolled off the bed, bracing himself as he fell onto the floor on his hands and knees. Charlie and Andy stood up.

"Cassie... Youre okay, right? I mean, I know just a month or so ago, you were still at home and that wasnt the best, and now _this_?" Charlie reached forward and brushed his bangs out of his face. Her lips pulled down at the corners and she leaned down, kissing him on the forehead and grabbing Andy's wrist. "We're coming back tomorrow, no matter what you say. Bye, Cas. Bye, Dean-o."

Andy waved meekly from behind her as she was pulled along, out of the room and down the stairs. Dean didnt even have to offer them a ride back to school, or home; they had just walked out. Dean just shrugged and layed back down beside Castiel. "Want me to give you some privacy?" he asked quietly. Castiel looked down and shook his head. Dean smiled and scooted forward, resting his head in Castiel's lap, where he fell asleep.

Castiel watched him for a while. A lot of shit had happened to him in his not-even-eighteen-years or age, and he had never had someone who had cared so much about what happened to him. Usually he was left with this sibling or that cousin or one time, that bartender. It was nice having Dean there, and knowing that he cared about him, even if it was just in a friend way.

He fell asleep with Dean's head in his lap and a smile on his face.

* * *

**wow, longest chapter.**

**thanks for all the lovely reviews, you guys! :DD i love you all c:**

**and dont worry, Dean isnt done with Zach and Luc yet.**


	10. Chapter 10

Castiel woke up the next morning with his ribs aching, the Looney Toons playing, and Dean's head still in his lap. His hand was curled up on his thigh, his stubby nails just barely touching the fabric of Castiel's pants. He originally thought him to be asleep, but after a few motionless minutes of watching him, Dean laughed quietly and shifted. Castiel smiled to himself and reached over to grab his pills, careful not to move much as to disturb Dean. Castiel was comfortable. He didnt want Dean to move.

"Oh, mornin', Cas," Dean said, rolling onto his back and looking up at Castiel. His eyes were still sleepy.

Castiel blinked down at him and nodded. He didnt feel like talking. His throat hurt and his head and his face and his ribs. So he just popped his pills in his mouth and took a gulp of water to wash them down. He felt Dean get up as he put the cup back on the nightstand.

"You okay?" Dean asked, worry evident in his voice. Castiel just grimaced, gently placing his hand on his left side and leaning over a fraction of an inch. Dean _hmm_-ed quietly and reached forward, raising an eyebrow as if to ask _is this okay?_ and when Castiel nodded, he reached the extra inch between them and carefully pulled Castiel's shirt up a bit to see his side.

Dean inhaled a sharp breath and Castiel flinched."God, Cas..." He let the other boys' shirt fall back into its original place. "Does it hurt?" His entire side was an angry purplish-blue colour, with yellow already fading around the edges. His orange stitches were poking out in what looked like a very uncomfortable manner.

Castiel nodded.

"God, I am so sorry. I promise if they ever do anything like that to you again, or even look at you wrong-"

"Dean," Castiel cut him off. Dean snapped his mouth closed, turning his head to look up at Castiel. "I will be fine, okay? Please do not worry about me." Even as he said it, he knew he wasnt being honest with himself_; _he _wanted_ Dean to worry. He liked having someone to worry, even if it was just Dean. Not that there was anything wrong with Just-Dean, Castiel like him quite a bit.

"Okay," Dean said hesitantly, standing up and swaying slightly. "I um... I gotta go. Lisa called me a while ago. I just wanted to make sure you were okay before I left." He looked down at his hands.

Castiel's face dropped. He looked down at his own hands and murmured, "Okay. Im going back to bed," laying back down turning his lamp off, pulling the sheets over his head.

He could feel Dean still standing by the edge of the bed. He wanted nothing more than to pull Dean down and tell him to stay with him, he was in pain, god damnit. But Dean did what Dean wanted to do and what Dean wanted to do was go see his _girlfriend._

"Ill, um... Ill be back in an hour," Dean said, his voice getting fainter as he stepped closer to the door. After a few silent moments, he heard the door close and he squeezed his eyes shut, pulling his knees up to his chest then wincing in pain. Bad idea. The new angle stretched the skin over his ribs painfully.

* * *

Dean leant against the door and sighed, rubbing his hand over his mouth. He didnt _want_ to go see Lisa. He wanted to stay with Cas and watch cartoons and make sure he was okay. Cas was hurt and needed him, Lisa was just bored and didnt want to take Ben to the park alone. Not that he minded going to the park with them, he really did like Lisa, a lot, and Ben was a great kid.

After a few contemplative moments, Dean just shook his head and grabbed his coat. He already told Lisa he was coming, he couldnt very well back out _again__, _ now could he? "Well, I could," Dean said quietly as he walked out the door. Sam looked up from the couch, his head cocked to the side.

"You say somethin'? he asked, and Dean just shook his head.

"Im goin' to see Lis. Watch after Cas for me?" He didnt wait for a response. He knew his brother would watch after Cas for him. Thats what Sammy did. He was the best brother anyone could ever ask for in the history of brothers. Ever.

After a half hour drive, two Red Bulls, and a pack of powdered donuts, Dean was at the park. He could see Lisa and Ben on the swings from where he was parked, and he just watched them. Ben really was a sweet kid almost identical to Lisa. And Lisa really was beautiful, with her dark hair and dark eyes and amazing body. But, Dean thought with a frown as he slid out of the Impala, she wasnt _Cas_. And that thought alone scared the shit out of him.

"Dean," Lisa smiled at him, grabbing the front of his button-down shirt and pulling him down for a kiss. "Hey. Took you long enough."

Dean just smiled and sat on the swing beside her. "Sorry. I stopped at the gas station."

Lisa smiled and nodded, looking over at Ben. The silence that followed was awkward until finally she looked back. her smile was gone and Dean's first thought was _oh shit._

"Dean..." she started, twisting her hands around the chains on the swing and kicking her feet up a bit, scuffing the dark earth beneath her. Dean _hmm_-ed in response and she sighed, looking up at him. "Are you cheating on me?"

Dean's eyes snapped to hers and his mouth dropped open. "Are you... Youre serious? You think im cheating on you?" He almost laughed.

_Almost._

"And why in God's name would you think that, Lisa?" he asked.

She sighed and kicked t the dirt again, looking down at her bare feet. "You seem distant. You barely kiss me. We're not..." She glanced at Ben. "We're not _intimate_."

"We've only been going out for...-"

"Long enough to be intimate," Lisa said flatly and this time, it was Dean's turn to sigh.

He nodded. "Im sorry, I am, but Lisa, I swear to you, I am not cheating. I dont cheat," he said truthfully.

She looked up at him and tilted her head to the side. "But there _is_ someone else, isnt there?"

Dean looked down.

"_Isnt there_?" And for some reason, she didnt seem..._mad_ about it. She was actually smiling when Dean looked back up at her. "I never thought this would last, Dean. Its alright if you dont wanna stay with me. Just... come visit me and Ben every once in a while, alright? I just want you to be happy." She twisted the swing around to the side and kissed his cheek before standing up and grabbing Ben. "Text me sometime and the four of us will go out."

Dean nodded, then paused, looking up at her in confusion. "Four of us?" he asked, head tilted to the side.

"You and your mystery woman," she said with a wink. And Dean's freckled cheeks dusted with pink.

Mystery woman.

Right.

* * *

Sam carefully walked up the stairs to Dean and Castiel's room, skipping over the squeaky stairs, and opened the door quietly. Castiel was laying in Dean's bed with the covers pulled up to his chest and his arms crossed over his stomach. Sam opened the door a bit wider to let himself in, moving to stand by the bedside table.

"Hey, Cas. You okay?" he asked, crossing his arms for nothing better to do with them.

Castiel only spared him a glance. "Yes, Sam. Thank you for your concern." He said it in almost a monotone and Sam couldnt help but worry he did something wrong, to upset him.

"Um, no problem. If theres anything I could get you, call me, alright? Ill be downstairs. Just dont get out of bed." He pointed a finger at Castiel, who smiled slightly and nodded. Sam just smiled in response and nodded, making his way back down to his homework on the couch.

Moments later, Dean burst thought the front door with two empty cans of Red Bull and some wrappers. "Sammy!" he exclaimed, and Sam's eyebrows shot up.

"Um, yeah?"

"Is Cas alright?" he asked seriously.

"Yeah. I literally _just_ checked on him."

Dean nodded and jogged to the stairs. "Thanks, Sammy. Youre the best."

Sam rolled his eyes and smiled. "I know."


	11. Chapter 11

"Cas, hey, wh-"

Dean skidded to a stop in the doorway, his hand on the doorknob. Castiel looked up, his sleepy blue eyes searching before they finally met Dean's. He just sighed and rolled back over, his back facing the door. "I would like to sleep," Castiel said in a quiet, broken voice. "Would you mind leaving me alone for a few hours?"

Dean frowned and walked slowly to the bed. He hesitated before sitting down. He knew Castiel wouldnt flat out tell him to leave. He would probably ask nicely again then give up and move over so Dean could lay down. Thats just how Cas was. "Are you alright, Cas?" he asked, reaching his hand out to rub over Castiel's back, which faced him. Castiel froze up at the intrusion, but eventually relaxed, subconsciously leaning into Dean's hand.

"I miss Anna," he said quietly. Dean just frowned and nodded.

"I know how you feel. I... I used to have another brother..." He hadnt told any of his friends that before.

He was, of course, speaking of his brother, Adam. He had died when he was six, Sammy was seven, and Dean was eleven. He loved Adam. They all did. He looked more like his mom than his did, with her blonde hair and bright eyes. He was such a happy kid, too, always bouncing around. He was smart as Sammy and as sarcastic and protective as Dean, even from that young age. But then he got Sick. None of the Winchester's liked to say _cancer_, so they just told people he got Sick. They usually understood. Cancer was a difficult subject to talk about, especially with families who had lost a child to the illness.

And the Winchester's had lost a lot. Not only did Mary and John lose a kid, but Sammy and Dean lost a brother, a friend. It was then that John started drinking. No one blamed him for it, of course, he had lost his _kid, _but they still tried to send him to AA a few times and get him help. But even through all of that, John was still a great father. He did all he could for the boys, trying to make up for his absent father. Grandaddy Winchester, as Mary called him, had been a great man, too. At age twenty-seven, Henry Winchester had gone to fight in the war and never came back. John didnt know that, and neither did Mary or the boys. John had grown up thinking Henry had just gotten up and abandoned them, but he had been drafted, and been too scared to tell his wife and have to leave his kid.

Castiel turned his head back to look at Dean. "What happened?" he asked, his voice still just as quiet and broken as last time he spoke.

And for some reason, Dean told him. The whole story. He even told him that he had cancer, and had had it his whole life, they just hadnt known about it until it was too late. "But everyone loses people, Cas, and I know how your'e feelin', so dont be afraid to talk to me about it, alright?" Dean said, his fingertips tracing patterns on Cas' back. He saw Castiel nod. "Good. You still want me to go?"

Castiel hesitated before shaking his head. "Did you know, that when I was four, my dad left me at the store and Anna took two trains and a bus to come get me?" Dean knew Cas knew he didnt know, so he stayed silent. "Yeah. She came and got me and took me home. When we got there, and my dad saw me, he said _god, damnit, Anael, you were s'posed to leave 'im!_ Then he went and got drunk."

Castiel turned on his other side and looked over at Dean, who was laying on his own side a few inches from Castiel, his fingertips poised in the air inn a claw-like position. "My own _father_ tried to get rid of me, Dean," he said, reaching forward hesitantly and lacing his fingers through Dean's. Dean just looked down at their joined hands before inching closer to Castiel.

"Go to sleep, Cas. Ill make pancakes in the morning," he said quietly, and Castiel nodded, moving over so his could rest his head on Dean' shoulder as he fell asleep.

xx

The next morning, Dean stayed true to his word and made Castiel pancakes with a smile on his face. He hadnt been able to sleep the night before, with Castiel curled into his side, his head on Dean's shoulder. It hadnt been uncomfortable, but Dean just couldnt believe it had actually happened. It seemed like something only his imagination could come up with, but when he had woken up the next morning, Castiel's fingers were clenched tightly around fistfuls of Dean's t-shirt. He had carefully wriggled out of his hands, kissed his forehead, and gone downstairs to make his promised pancakes.

And now he was on his way back upstairs to give Castiel his pancakes and orange juice.

When he toed open the door, Castiel was sitting up, one hand rubbing his eyes while the other lightly rubbed at his side. Dean knew how irritating the stitches probably were, and Cas had to have them in for another two weeks before his doctors would even _consider_ taking them out.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said, setting the tray of food on the bedside table then climbing over Castiel to lay on the other side of the bed. He layed his head on the pillow and tilted it up to look at Castiel. "You feelin' better?"

Castiel smiled down at him and nodded. "Yes, thank you, Dean."

"I made pancakes," Dean said with a smile, and Castiel nodded again, pulling the tray onto his lap.

"Thank you," he said quietly, wrapping one arm around his midsection and using his other hand to pick up the fork. Dean lay beside him, watching him while he ate. It was still early, a little over an hour before noon, and sunlight was streaming in through the slanted blinds and painting patterns across the room. There was a streak of light coming in that landed directly in Dean's face, and no matter how he turned, it was still there to blind him. Eventually he just sighed and pressed his face into Castiel's pyjama-clad thigh, ignoring his jump of surprise. The jump was followed by a quiet laugh, some shuffling, and Castiel's hand lacing itself in Dean's hair.

"Are you okay, Dean?" he asked, mouth half-full of pancakes. Dean smiled and nodded. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Cas, im fine. Are you?" Dean asked, turning his head slightly. Castiel hummed his affirmation before picking up his orange juice and taking a small sip.

"Yes, Dean. I am fine, thank you," he said with a smile, and Dean rolled his eyes. Castiel was, by nature, a happy person, but Dean almost couldnt stand how... _happy_ he was acting, what with the current position he was in, living at someone else's house because he got kicked out, lying in bed with broken ribs and a bruised face. Dean was glad he was okay, he really was, because if he wasnt, Dean would have had to take it up with his teammates, but he wanted to take care of Castiel.

He banished the thought the second it flickered through his head, almost cursing himself when he lifted his head and said, "You need anything else?"

Castiel just ruffled his hair and shook his head. "No, seriously, Dean. Youre doing too much for me. Just because im-"

"In bed with four broken ribs?"

"-doesnt mean i cant take care of myself," Castiel finished, his breath huffing quietly as he crossed his arms and sighed.

The two stayed in bed the rest of the day, Dean only getting up to get Castiel food and more juice and go to the restroom and Castiel only got up to shower (with the door unlocked "In case anything happens, Cas, please. I wont come in unless you call for me...") and to use the restroom. Mary came up to check on them a few times and Sam came in to watch Star Trek with them for a few minutes before Jessica came over.

Later that night, they fell asleep watching Doctor Who, the theme song playing quietly as Castiel sleepily felt around for Dean's hand to lace his fingers with.

* * *

**this chapter is for HattieHat13 for being so awesome and stuff xD thank you, lovely.**


	12. Chapter 12

**dedicated to ****Destiel101****, for never having had a chapter dedicated to them before. thank you for reading / reviewing 3**

* * *

"Mr. Novak, please. Hold still."

"Ah, _God_. Dean!"

"Its okay, Cas. Just hold still, aright? I swear it wont even hurt a little bit. Just a little tugging."

Dean and Castiel sat in a bare, too-white room at the hospital to get Cas' stitches removed. He was laying on a paper-covered table and Dean was standing beside him, watching as Dr. Langdon carefully unlaced the stitches. Much to Castiel, and Dean's, dismay, he had had to keep the stitches in for almost an entire month after the first week he had gotten them. After the two week waiting period when Dr. Langdon first checked on them, his side hadnt been entire healed, so he had to wait. There was, Castiel decided, nothing good about being forced to stay home from school and lay in bed for a month just because some assholes were homophobic.

"Okay, Mr. Novak. We're all done here," Dr. Langdon smiled down at him, putting down the discarded stitching and taking off his gloves. "Now if it gets infected or starts to itch, swell, or you feel any sort of discomfort, please call me or my assistant." He handed Castiel a small card. "I think its fine if you go back to school. In fact, im going to write you a note and I expect you in classes tomorrow. Ill be back in a moment, excuse me."

Castiel watched until the door was closed before sitting up, twisting around to inspect his side. It was still red, probably from the tugging of getting them removed, but it didnt look like it would scar too badly.

"Are you ready to go back to school?" Dean asked after a short silence, picking at the paper on the table. Castiel shrugged. "I can ask mom to do some sort of... home-schooling, for you. Im sure she wouldnt mind."

Castiel shook his head. "Please, dont, Dean. I need to go back to school."

Dean nodded. "Yeah. The car ride has been lonely without you," he said over-dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. Castiel laughed and grabbed his shirt, putting it back on and hopping off the table. His side tugged uncomfortably, but it was much better than the pain he had felt before.

Ten minutes later, Dean and Castiel were walking back to the Impala with a doctor's note and four business cards.

xx

"So, how did it go, Castiel?"

Castiel shrugged and took the offered tea from Mary sliding onto the barstool beside Dean. "It went great. I get to go back to school tomorrow." He smiled and Dean watched his face. He was still worried about Castiel going back to school. He didnt want him to get hurt again.

"Thats great!" Mary beamed. "Im so glad. Youve been holed up in that room for far too long. God knows no one wants to be around Dean that long."

"Hey!"

Castiel smiled. "I dont mind, Mrs. Winchester. Dean is good company," he looked down and wiped a smudge off of his cup. Dean just smiled back and nudged him with his shoulder.

"See, mom? Cas likes my company. Unlike you," he stuck his tongue out.

Mary laughed. "Oh, hush, Dean. You know I love your company." She leaned across the table and ruffled his hair. He pulled away and frowned, smoothing it back into place. "You guys go get washed up and into bed. Its getting pretty late and you have school tomorrow."

Dean nodded and hopped off the stool, walking around the island to hug his mother. "'Night, mom. I love you," he said with a smile, kissing her cheek.

"Goodnight, Dean. Sweet dreams."

Castiel walked around the island with a small smile. After a short silence, Mary smiled and pulled him to her. "Im so glad youre better, Castiel. Next time, you fight back, you hear?"

Castiel smiled. It wasnt the first time he wished the Winchesters were his family. "Yes, ma'am, I promise. Goodnight, Mary."

Mary smiled wider and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Cas."

Cas smiled and turned to run up the stairs. He felt more accepted in the months of living with Dean than he ever had at his own house, besides with Gabriel and Anna.

Anna...

Castiel crawled into bed with what he would have called a pathetic sniffle, pulling the blankets over his head. He missed his sister so much. She had been depressed for so long, he didnt actually think she would kill herself. Castiel thought his sister would always be there with him, just like she had promised when they were little.

Castiel was almost asleep when he felt the other side of the bed dip down with the weight of someone else. He froze, his eyes going wide, as he heard Dean sigh and roll over. They both went completely still.

"Um. Cas...?" Dean said hesitantly, quiety.

Castiel silently cursed himself squeezing his eyes closed. He forgot he had his own bed. He had been sleeping in Dean's bed the entire time he had his stitches in and Dean had been sleeping in his. ("Mines more comfortable," Dean had told him. "I insist. Youre hurt.")

"Yes, Dean?"

"Youre in my bed, Cas," Dean said slowly, as if Castiel couldnt comprehend what he had said.

Castiel nodded and sat up. "I apologize," he said as he pulled the blanket back and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Dean caught his wrist before he could stand up, saying quietly, "You can... You can stay. I can move over if you want me to, get another blanket..." Castiel could feel Dean shrug behind him.

He didnt even have to think about it, he just lay down on his side, facing Dean and pulling the covers back over himself. It felt natural. They had, after all, fallen asleep in the same bed before. It didnt have to be weird or anything. It was just two friends sleeping in one bed.

"Goodnight, Dean," Castiel said quietly, pulling the blanket over his mouth for warmth. He felt Dean shirt beside him.

"Night, Cas." His hand slid across the blanket until it reached Castiel's and he slowly laced their fingers together.

Castiel went to sleep with a smile on his face.


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey, Winchester. Where's your boyfriend?" Luc laughed behind his hand while Zach punched his shoulder, laughing quietly. Dean just rolled his eyes and threw his books in his locker.

"Dont you boys have somethin' better to be doin'?" he asked, rolling his eyes in their direction and slamming his locker shut, spinning the lock twice and pulling on it to make sure it was locked.

"Yeah, yeah, dont worry. We already sent someone to take care of _Castiel_ for you," Zach sneered over his shoulder as they walked past him. Dean honestly wasnt worried. Cas was with Charlie and Andy, he was more than safe. He was actually more worried about what would happen to Luc and Zach if Charlie got ahold of them.

"Oh, I assure you, he's perfectly fine," Dean said with a smile, stepping around them and making his way down the hall. He smiled with satisfaction when Zach huffed and brushed past him, knocking their shoulders together as he did so. Luc stayed behind, shoving his hands in his pockets and falling into step with Dean. For a split moment, Dean was almost worried. They were alone in the empty school corridor after class and Luc had been known to be pretty homophobic. Not that Dean was gay, or anything, but since he started hanging out with Cas and his group more, and less with the lacrosse team, the rumour mill had been churning. But after glancing over and seeing the nervous, almost downright _terrified_ expression on his old friends' face, the last little bit of worry he may have been feeling sunk out of his bones.

"Winchester," Luc said once they got about halfway down the hall. He had paused, his hands still in his pockets and his head down, his feet scuffing at the tiles beneath him. Dean waited patiently.

"I. . ." Luc paused, sighing almost angrily, before continuing all in a rush. "Im sorry. I was wrong to say and do the things that I did to Cas. _Castiel._ I know I was wrong. And im sorry. I promise I wont do it again and ive been keepin' Luc off ya'lls backs since Castiel came back. I dont think its wrong to, yanno, be gay and stuff. My. . . My brother is gay."

Dean's eyes went wide and he took a small step back. Lucifer had apologized. He never would have thought it would be _Lucifer_ out of all his teammates, to apologize. He expected some of the quieter teammates to maybe say something about it, Michael maybe, but he had never expected an outright apology. He almost didnt know how to respond.

_Almost._

"You hurt Cas," was what he went with, shoving his own hands in his pockets and tilting his head to look down at Luc. "You hurt him a lot and if youre gonna be apologizin' to anyone, I'd appreciate if that someone was Castiel. But I will never forgive you for hurting him the way you did, Luc. You _broke_ his _ribs_. Do you not understand how _serious_ that could have been?"_  
_

Luc finally looked up, sighing and running his hands over his face. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. And thats why Im apologizing. I dont even know what I would do if my own brother had been in Castiel's position. The second it was over, I immediately regretted it. I told the guys we should call an ambulance or, hell, even knick the poor kids phone and ring _you_ but Zach literally pulled my away by my jacket. Listen, I. . . I know you wont forgive me, heck, _I_ wont forgive me, but just know im sorry, I really am. And I really will try to keep the guys away from him."

Dean just stared at him openly for a few more seconds before blinking slowly and nodding. "Yeah. Okay. Just. . . Try to apologize to Cas? His education means a lot to him and I dont want him to be scared to come to school because some homophobic assholes decided to beat the living shit out of him." Dean shook his head and turned to walk away.

"Hey, Winchester!" Luc called once Dean was safely halfway down the hall from him. Dean turned back in time to see a small smile on the other boys face. "Tell Castiel that Balthazar thinks hes hot?" Then he turned and jogged down the hall, leaving Dean alone in the fading sunlight.

Dean did not want to tell Castiel that Balthazar thought he was hot.

Dean wanted to go home and lay in bed with Castiel until they fell asleep watching Star Trek or Dr. Sexy, MD or the fucking Discovery Channel like they were so inclined to do when Castiel had had a bad day.

Dean wanted to hold Castiel's hand and kiss the scar on his side and ribcage and tell him how much he liked him._  
_

Dean wanted to take Castiel to the park with Ben and Lisa so they could finally meet.

Dean wanted Castiel to come to the lacrosse game next week and sit in the stands where family sat and cheer him on.

But Dean did _not_ want to tell Castiel that Balthazar Roche thought he was hot.

So Dean went home basically sulking, running three red lights and a few stop signs on the way. He wasnt a careless driver, not at all, especially with Sam or Cas in the car, but he was in a bad mood and he just wanted to get home and flop down in his bed and sleep for sixteen hours.

But of course he wasnt so lucky and the second his head hit the pillow,he started to think about Luc and what he had said. Not about Balthazar, well, that too, but mainly his apology. To be honest, Dean had never known that Balthazar and Luc were brothers, he never even would have guessed it. Balthazar was small and talkative and sweet, and Luc was bigger and rude and vulgar. Not only that, but he never would have thought that Balthazar was gay. Or that he even knew that Castiel existed. Or that Luc would ever, in a million years, be okay with his own flesh and blood being gay.

Dean was finally almost asleep when the light flicked on and he heard a weary sigh. "Dean. Why are you laying down? Its not even eight yet."

Dean sighed and looked at the clock; 7:13. He had only been home twenty minutes. "Im tired."

Castiel was quiet for a minute before shuffling around the bed to lay down beside Dean, nudging the other boys shoulder with his own. "Hey. You okay? Youre usually annoying me or Sam about going to do something with you. Charlie and Andy called earlier."

"'M fine," he said, voice muffled by his pillow. After a shirt hesitation, he said, "Balthazar Roche thinks youre hot."

Castiel was quiet for so long that Dean thought he had fallen asleep. When he finally looked up, Castiel was smiling. He suppressed a groan. "Dean Winchester," Castiel started, and Dean was taken slightly aback. Castiel sounded. . . _smug_. "Are you jealous?"

Dean looked up. He could feel his cheeks turning pink because, yeah. He was jealous, so what? He didnt even know _why_ he was jealous. He wasnt even gay. . . "No. . ." was what he answered.

Castiel smirked, a very un-Castiel like characteristic. "Youre so jealous its not even funny."

Dean let it pass, because it looked good on Castiel. "No im not."

"Yes you are, Winchester," Castiel said quietly, shoving his shoulder lightly into Dean's. Dean just groaned and buried his face back in his pillow, kicking his feet before going still.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am _not._"_  
_

"Dean, you are _so_ jealous."

"Shut _up,_ asshole!" Dean said loudly, jumping up and wrapping one arm around the back of Castiel's neck, pulling him down onto the bed and into his side. Castiel sucked in a sharp breath at the pull on the newly healed flesh of his side and pulled away from Dean. Dean let go as quick as he could, jumping slightly away from Castiel and looking over at him with wide eyes. Castiel just smiled in response, leaning forward to pull Dean down, rubbing his knuckles into his head like his brothers did to him when he was younger.

Dean laughed, pushing at Castiel's arms and his good side until he finally back off, then used his leverage to pin his arms to the bed. Castiel kicked his legs and puled his knees back before frowning and giving up, huffing and sinking into the mattress. Dean still couldnt stop smiling.

"Loser," he said fondly, and Castiel just rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Winchest-"

Without even thinking about what he was doing, Dean leaned down, cutting off his own name with his lips on Castiel's. It was quick and soft and he pulled back as soon as he realized what he was doing, hovering inches over Castiel's flushed face.

"I. . ." But he didnt know what to say. Sorry? He wasnt sorry. He actually kind of wanted to do it again. But he also felt terrible. He should have asked. What if Castiel hadnt wanted him to kiss him? Was that considered violating him? Had he just raped his friend?

Before Dean went into full-fledged panic-mode, Castiel leaned up as far as Dean's hands would allow him and gently pressed his lips to the other boys'. It was soft and just a few seconds longer than the first kiss, but every bit as amazing. When they pulled back, they were both smiling, and Dean let go of Castiel's wrists, sliding his fingers up to intertwine with Castiel's own. After a few silent moments of staring down at Castiel, he slid so he was laying beside him, facing Castiel, and whispered, "Is this okay?"

Castiel just smiled and nodded, leaning forward to press a light kiss to the corner of Dean's mouth before closing his eyes, smile still on his face.

And they fell asleep like that, fingers intertwined, faces inches apart, with the lights on and their legs tangled together.

Dean only started panicking about it the next morning, and even then, not as bad as he had imagined he would.


	14. Chapter 14

"Dean. Dean. Dean. _Deeaaaannnnnn. _Wake up, you ass."

Dean didnt want to wake up. He was too comfortable. There was currently a warm weight across his chest and the faint sunlight streaming in through the blinds was hitting the places that warm weight wasnt. He was just very warm, all in all, and he just wanted his brother to go the _hell_ away and leave him to his warmth.

"Dean Winchester, if you dont get up _right now_, I am outing you to mom and dad."

And while that didnt stir Dean from the comfortableness and warmth, the sudden lack of pressure on his chest did. "Dean, get up," the warmth said, and oh. It was Castiel. Castiel had been laying across his chest.

When Dean finally got up, blinking his eyes sleepily, he noticed three things all at once. One; it was only just now six in the morning and they didnt need to be up for another two hours to make it to school on time. Two; Castiel looked adorable. Yes, Dean Winchester just thought of someone as _adorable_, a word that wasnt even in his arsenal until he'd met Castiel. And three; well, Dean didnt know which thing he should put as three - the fact that Castiel was only in his underwear, or the fact that his brother was standing above his bed looking scared as hell.

"Sammy. Whats up?" He chose the latter.

Sam shifted from one foot to the other, glancing back toward the door then looking back over at Dean. "Um... Nevermind. It... Nevermind." He didnt even wait for Dean to respond before he was rushing out of the room, quiety closing the door beside him."

Dean just blinked, confused, before groaning and flopping back on the bed, throwing his arm over his eyes. He could feel Castiel just sitting there, looking down at him, so he moved his arm, smiled, and wiggled into a more vertical position. "Hey."

Castiel huffed quietly and rubbed at his eyes. He really was not a morning person, "Hey."

Dean couldnt really think of anything else to say, honestly, so he leaned toward Castiel a bit, waited to see if he would react, then leaned forward a little more. When all he did was stare at Dean with large, blue eyes, Dean leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to his friends' nose. "Hey," he repeated with a small smile. Castiel smiled back and returned the sentiment.

"I like you," Dean said in the same quiet voice he had been using before, and Castiel made an odd, high-pitched sound in the back of his throat.

Even in the dim lighting, Dean could see him blush, his cheeks turning a deep pink as he ducked his head against his chest and flopped down on the bed on his side. Dean just laughed and reached over, trailing his fingertips up and down Castiel's arm a few times before pulling back and laying back down beside him. Castiel's arms were crossed in front of his face and his knees were pulled up to his chin. He looked - and Dean swore it was the last time he would ever think the word - _adorable._

"Hey, Cas, look at me," Dean said with a small smile, and Castiel shook his head against his knees. Dean just laughed and pulled at his hands, which were currently pressed over his face in an embarrassed manner. "Cas, come on."

"No," he mumbled, the sound coming out muffled through his hands. Dean moved forward slowly and licked Castiel's hands, causing him to groan and pull them back.

"Score one for Team Dean," he joked, and Castiel groaned again, moving to press his hands back to his face. Dean grabbed them before he could, murmuring out, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" as he grabbed Castiel's hands, lacing their fingers together."Stop it, would you? Youre makin' me nervous here."

Suddenly, Castiel looked up, his brow furrowing as he looked over at Dean. "Oh, _youre_ the nervous one? Yes, because _youre _the one currently laying in the bed of the schools star athlete while he tells you he likes you. Nothing to be suspicious about there."

Dean pulled his hands away. Castiel thought he was lying.

Cas actually thought Dean was lying to him.

Ouch.

"Cas, hey. Look at me, yeah?"

Castiel lifted his head again, the blush anew on his face as he did so. Dean smiled a half-smile and leaned forward slowly, waiting to see if Castiel would back away, before closing the extra distance and kissing Castiel softly on the lips. It was barely a real kiss, just their lips softly touching, but Castiel smiled anyway.

"If I didnt like you, would I have done that?" he asked with a smile.

Castiel tilted his head to the side, pretending to contemplate it. "Hmm. Maybe," he decided on.

Dean rolled his eyes and leaned forward, deepening the kiss. When he pulled back, he gave Castiel's lips one last peck before looking back at him. "What about that?"

Castiel smiled and shrugged.

Dean laughed and rolled his eyes. "You are impossible." He leaned forward, one hand sliding up Castiel's side and up his shoulder, cupping his neck, and the other safely between their chests, and he kissed him, using his hand to pull Cas closer. Castiel responded immediately, his hands moving to rest on Dean's hips and one of his feet sliding between Dean's ankles the closer he got. He wasnt very experienced with the whole kissing thing, but if Dean noticed, he didnt say anything, he just licked at Castiel's lips until he opened them, then pulled away.

Castiel made a soft sound, chasing after Dean's lips, before opening his eyes and frowning.

"I like you, Cas. Im not good with this whole _feelings_ thing, so if I didnt like you, I wouldnt be tellin' you I liked you. Got it?" he asked seriously, finding one of Castiel's hands with his own and lacing their fingers back together. Castiel just smiled and nodded.

"I like you, too," Castiel said quietly, ducking his head down as he yawned. Dean's smiled widened as Castiel looked back up.

"Really?"

"Really," Castiel answered, and all Dean could think to say was,

"Yay."

Dean paused. Castiel paused.

"Did you just say _yay_? Did you just _actually_ say _yay_?" Castiel asked quietly, about two seconds before he burst into quiet laughter, slapping his hands over his mouth and squeezing his eyes closed. Dean would have been mad, too, if Castiel didnt look so damned... - he refused to say _adorable,_ but, well...

* * *

**Sorry if this is short, als for the long ass wait Dx no excuses!**  
**ive just been busy revising and i've also been workin' on a few longer fics.  
those arent excuses, its just why i was late...**

and for that, the next update will be superawesome n_n


	15. Chapter 15

Dean took a deep breath, slowly stood up on his bed, then _jumped._

"_ITS FRI-DAY, FRI-DAY, GOTTA GET DOWN ON FRI-DAY! EVERYBODY'S LOOKIN' FORWARD TO THE WEEK-END, WEEK- oph." _

Dean was pulled down by his ankle by an angry Castiel, thumping back on the bed as he fell. "Dean," Castiel said quietly, sweetly. Dean hummed for him to continue, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. Castiel huffed quietly. "If you dont shut the fuck up and let me get my sleep, I will castrate you with a spoon." He paused. "_Honey."_

Dean froze, leaning back and looking down in surprise. It wasnt the threat that got Dean, it was the sarcastic use of the pet name that Castiel hated. Castiel absolutely hated pet names. He got twitchy and awkward when Dean even brought it up. And he hated using them almost more than he hated being called a pet name. So yeah, it surprised Dean a little.

"You shouldnt have stayed up so late reading, then, Cas," Dean said, leaning back forward and resting his forehead against Castiel's.

"It wasnt that late," Castiel said, opening his eyes to glare at Dean. "And its not even Friday. Its Saturday. At eight in the morning. Why did you wake me up?" He groaned and pulled the duvet over his face, holding onto it tightly so Dean couldnt pull it away.

Dean just wiggled closer, throwing one arm over Castiel's waist and moving his other hand up to pry the blanket out of Castiel's fingers. When he finally got it away, Castiel's cheeks were pink and he was smiling. Dean just smiled and closed the few inches between them and kissed Castiel. It was short and awkward, but it was, Dean thought, _awesome_.

Him and Cas had been... _sort of_ kind of, but not really, dating for almost two weeks. They hadnt told anyone, save for Charlie, Jennifer, Andy, and Sam, who had walked in on them awkwardly kissing once. And the week before, when he had barged in so unwanted to say he forgot what he was going to tell Dean, he had hinted at _outing_ Dean, although Dean still swore up and down that he was _not_ gay. It was just Cas. He liked girls, and Cas. And sometimes Cas could be kinda like a girl, Dean figured, not that he _wanted_ him to be a girl. He worried about his hair when Dean laughed at how it stuck up in fifty directions, and he took a long time in the bathroom in the morning, then came out smelling _amazing_. And he always had to match his left sock with his shirt. Dean was sure that was just an odd habit or an OCD thing, because it didnt matter what colour or pattern his right sock was.

Back to the point of their... relationship.

Dean liked Castiel. He liked Castiel a lot. He would find himself staring at the blue-eyed man while they were on the bus, or at red lights when Dean drove the Impala. And when they were at their lockers, which only had one locker between them, and if he wanted, Dean could easily lean over and kiss Castiel. And when he was trying to fall asleep but couldnt, he would just stare at Castiel. Sam had pointed it out multiple times, said it was creepy, but Castiel didnt seem to mind, so Dean didnt mind.

And Castiel liked Dean, too. Though he hadnt said it in as many - awkward - words as Dean had, Dean knew his feelings were mutual. If not just because Castiel actually kissed him back, but because when Dean couldnt sleep, Castiel would reach over and trace Dean's face with his fingertips until he fell asleep. He explained that it was something his sister used to do and it always helped him, so heck, it would probably help Dean.

And they had a lot in common, much to the extreme pleasure of Charlie, Andy, and Jennifer, whom Castiel and Dean were hanging out with more and more as their summer break grew closer. Dean and Castiel both like horror movies, although they reacted differently, Dean laughing and Castiel jumping into Dean's side at every little noise. Dean liked it like that though. Also, the fact that they were both huge science-fiction nerds, which they would never hear the end of from Sammy, who would force them to sit down and have day-long Star-Trek or Firefly marathons. And, to be honest, Dean never once complained. He liked spending time with his little brother and his... boyfriend?

He was reluctant to call Cas his boyfriend.

"Im sorry I woke you up," Dean said, closing his eyes and leaning forward to brush his nose against Castiel's collarbone. "Did you sleep good?"

Castiel hummed an affirmative, bringing his hands up to trail through Dean's hair. He really liked Dean's hair, and he had found that Dean liked his hair to be tugged. "I am still mad at you for waking me up, though," he said, and Dean laughed, pulling away to look up at Castiel, one brow raised.

Castiel did not like that look.

"And how do you suppose I make it up to you?" he asked, leaning forward once again to gently bite Castiel's collarbone. Cas closed his eyes and smiled, rolling his head to the side and pulling the collar of his shirt aside. Dean smirked. Amongst the short list of things Dean had found Castiel absolutely loved, and would actually _ask_ for, however subtly (he was shy and would barely ask Dean to make him food when he was hungry), he had learned that Castiel absolutely loved when Dean gently bit and sucked at his neck or shoulder or collarbone until a light bruise formed. And Dean certainly wouldnt complain. He liked the way the blue and purple looked in contrast with his friends' skin.

And everytime Dean had that thought, he would pause and look up at Castiel. And Castiel would know what he was thinking, somehow, so he would lean down and kiss Dean and tell him that it was okay, these were _good_ bruises, and he _knows_ Dean would never hurt him, and it was probably the only time Castiel ever spoke so many words.

Dean loved it.

So after successfully discolouring Castiel's neck, he rolled out of bed, literally, and walked around to Castiel's side of the bed, holding out his hand until Castiel stood up and laced their fingers together. Thats how it went every morning. Dean would keep Castiel's hand in his until they reached the bottom of the stairs, where Dean's parents would be, smiling over at the stairs and greeting Dean and Cas with cheery _good morning!_'s.

Once they hit the half-way point, down the stairs, Dean turned to Castiel and kissed him, gently pressing him against the banister and cupping his face in his hands. He knew his long sleeves were probably uncomfortable on Castiel's face, but it was a short kiss, so it didnt really matter anyway. After pulling away and waiting for Castiel's deep blush to fade, he smiled and wiped his lips on his sleeve before shrugging and grabbing Castiel's hand again. "I like you," he said happily. And that was sort of like their own 'I love you' since neither of them were ready to say it, and Dean wasnt even sure if Castiel actually loved him.

"I like you, too, Dean," Castiel said, just as happily, his cheeks darkening lightly once more. Dean smiled and bumped his shoulder with his own, letting go of his hand and hopping down the rest of the stairs.

Castiel smiled behind him, shaking his head and brushing his hair behind his ears before following behind.

* * *

**this chapter is dedicated to the ever-lovely** **_ktravierso_ 3**

**p.s. i chose one person who commented to dedicate the chapter to. so if you comment on this chapter, i may dedicate the next one to you n_n  
p.s.s this is not bribing you to comment, i just find people like having chapters dedicated to them, and i dont know any other way to choose who to dedicate it to xDD**


	16. Chapter 16

"So, Castiel."

Dean and Castiel's eyes both shot up to Mary, who was smiling down at her coffee.

"Who's the lucky girl?" she asked as she finally looked up, her smile widening. Castiel blushed and slapped his hand to the marks on his neck. Sometimes he almost completely forgot about them. "Youre gonna have to tell me eventually." Castiel looked over at Dean with wide eyes and Dean blushed. He really didnt want to have to come out to his mom by explaining that no, Castiel wasnt dating some girl at school, and _he_ had made those marks. Im gay, mom! Even though he _wasnt_ gay...

"Um..." Castiel looked back over at Mary then looked down at his breakfast. He suddenly wasnt very hungry.

"Come on, Cassie. Just tell me," Mary said, leaning over and nudging Castiel's arm with her own.

Castiel's faced turned about fifty shades of red as he stuttered out his next sentence. "Um.. Mary. I, um. I-I'm... Im gay. And I, uh. I would rather... not tell you who, um... Who did that." He rubbed at his neck, looking down at the table. Dean felt an almost physical pain at seeing Castiel like that, so he reached in the space between their chairs and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. If Castiel asked, Dean would come out for him.

"Oh. I didnt expect that. So youre not gonna tell me who this guy is?" she asked smiling. And Dean almost choked on his juice. She was okay with it. She wasnt gonna kick Castiel out. She didnt even _care_ that he was gay. Dean hadnt even known Castiel was gay. He just sort of thought he was... Bi? Dean didnt even know what the hell he had thought before that moment, but he didnt care, because Cas was Cas and he like-liked Cas. A lot.

"Im gay," Dean said, surprising even himself. Then he started to panic, because what if Mary kicked Cas out or wanted them to sleep in separate rooms or didnt trust them together or yelled at Dean or got mad at him or something. But it wasnt his fault he liked Castiel, it was Cas' fault, for being so nice and attractive and sweet, and-

Castiel pinched his hand. "Stop," he said, just quietly enough for Dean to hear. Dean looked over at him for a moment before sighing, releasing the breath he hadnt realized he had been holding.

"So Dean did-?" Mary motioned toward the marks on Castiel's neck, and Castiel looked over at Dean, who nodded, so Castiel turned back to Mary and nodded. Dean squeezed Castiel's hand. He never thought he would be doing this. Heck, he didnt even think that he was gay. Which he wasnt. Just Cas. "At least I know the person who has your heart wont break it." Mary smiled and leaned over, ruffling Castiel's hair. Then she slid off her stool and kissed his forehead. "You too, Dean." She reached over and kissed his forehead. "I love you kids. Now behave, I gotta go get Sammy up and take him to Jess' house to study."

After she had gone up the steps, Dean just sat there, staring at nothing in particular. Mary didnt care. She didnt care and she didnt kick Cas out.

"Dean. Come on, lets go lay back down. Im tired," Castiel said after a few silent moments, standing up and tugging on Dean's hand. And Dean finally looked up, and smiled, because his mom didnt care that he was gay.

"Wait, Cas," Dean said, smiling and tugging Cas back by his hand. Castiel just huffed and rolled his eyes. Dean rolled his eyes back at him, pulling Castiel until he was awkwardly sitting on Dean's lap, his legs on either side of his hips. "I like you." Dean leaned forward and kissed Castiel's nose.

"I like you, too," Castiel responded, blushing lightly. God, he was adorable. Dean didnt even care that he was using the word adorable, when he vowed not to. Cas was adorable, dammit.

"Good. Cuz youre gonna be stuck with me for a while." Dean leaned forward and kissed Castiel's neck softly. He couldnt see his face, but he knew Castiel would be smiling, closing his eyes and leaning to the side to give Dean better access.

But he wasnt leaning to the side or smiling, and his eyes were open, and _annoyed_. He pushed Dean away softly, sliding off his lap. "Dean, stop. What if your dad comes home? Lets just go upstairs." And yeah, that wiped the smile right off Dean's face, and he dropped Castiel's hand. "Yeah. Now come on." Castiel grabbed Dean's hand again and began walking, tugging him up the stairs behind him._  
_

After they were safely in Dean's room with the door locked, Castiel smiled and dove onto Dean's bed, squirming under the blankets and smiling. Dean smiled back and crawled over him to his own side of the bed, shuffling around until he was under the blankets, then wiggled out of his pants. Castiel looked over at him questioningly, and Dean just shrugged. "It gets hot," he said, then paused. "I... Does it make you uncomfortble?" He looked genuinely worried, so Castiel shook his head and smiled, rolling on his side to face Dean, reaching out his hand to slide over Dean's hip, then leaning forward to kiss him softly.

"You could never make me uncomfortable, Dean," Castiel said, and that almost scared Dean, how much trust Castiel had for him. And of course Castiel could trust Dean, but no one had really had complete trust for him like that, and he loved it. He loved Castiel.

"I like you," Dean said quietly, leaning forward until their foreheads were pressed together.

"I like you, too," Castiel said, for about the millionth time that day. He knew Dean liked him, and he was pretty sure Dean knew the feeling was mutual.

"I like-like you." Dean inched forward, sliding his own arm around Castiel's waist and pulling them closer.

"I like-like you, too." Castiel smiled. He loved when Dean was overly affectionate.

"I really like-like you."

"I really like-like you, t-"

"I love you," Dean said, and Castiel froze. Dean said he loved him. _Him_. Little nerdy Castiel Novak. Dean Winchester loved Castiel. Dean Winchester, the schools' star athlete and probably one of the most popular and attractive people in their class. And he loved Castiel. It was almost overwhelming, the more he thought about it. Then he smiled, because Dean said he loved him.

"I love you, too, Dean," he said, pulling Dean's face up to kiss him. Dean made a very (unmanly) noise in the back of his throat as he tightened his arms around Castiel and kissed him back.

After a few minutes of very un-awkward kissing, Dean pulled away, a huge smile on his face. "You love me?" he asked happily, and Castiel nodded. "I love you, too."

Dean couldnt help but feeling that him and Castiel were moving too fast. Heck, just a few months ago, Castiel was just some kid who was running off the bus like his life depended on it. Dean tightened his arms around Castiel a tiny bit just thinking about his family, and what all he had been through before he moved in with Dean. Although it was temporary, Dean thought just then that he could live with Castiel forever. He could live with having a warm body to wake up next to, and semi-awkward kisses in the morning. And he could deal with the cuddling, because even though he would deny it if someone besides Cas asked, he _loved_ to cuddle. Cas knew he loved to cuddle, and Dean liked to think that Castiel liked to cuddle too.

"Can you just stay here forever?" Dean asked, ducking his head to kiss at Castiel's neck, and Castiel laughed.

"I wish I could, too," Castiel said, sliding his hands up to card through Dean's short hair. "I like it here."

"I like you here, too," Dean said. He moved his lips back up to Castiel's and kissed him quickly.

There was a lot of kissing that day, which Dean was very happy about. And if Castiel was being honest with himself, he was very happy with it, too.

* * *

**i was gonna end it here, but i like writing for this story, so i have an actual plot. Things are about to happen :D**

**thanks for the reviews and stuff, guys n_n  
this one is for _MyUnlikelyHero_ :3**

**And in case you guys havent figured it out by now, i love fluff. like, i write diabetes-inducing stories, just to warn you about that.**


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